Chae Private Special Prosecutor Team Requests Arrest Warrants for Five, Including Lee Jong-sup and Kim Gye-hwan, Over 'Investigation Interference'

[Financial News] The Chae Private Special Prosecutor Team, led by Lee Myeong-hyeon, has moved to secure the detention of five key suspects, including former Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-sup, in connection with allegations of interference in the investigation.
On the morning of the 20th, Assistant Special Prosecutor Jung Min-young announced at a regular press briefing held at Seocho Hansem Building in Seocho-gu, Seoul, that arrest warrants had been requested for five individuals: former Minister Lee Jong-sup, former Ministry of National Defense Military Advisor Park Jin-hee, former Ministry of National Defense Prosecutor General Kim Dong-hyuk, former Ministry of National Defense Legal Affairs Director Yu Jae-eun, and former ROK Marine Corps Commandant Kim Gye-hwan.
Jung explained, "The five main suspects for whom arrest warrants were requested today are believed to have committed the alleged crimes, the seriousness of their offenses is recognized, and there is a risk of evidence destruction, making it necessary to investigate them while in custody."
The charges brought against former Minister Lee by the Special Prosecutor Team include abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights. He is accused of improperly intervening to prevent the initial investigation results of the ROK Marine Corps investigation team from being transferred to the police while overseeing the Ministry of National Defense’s operations during the investigation into the Chae Private case.
According to the Special Prosecutor Team, between July 31, 2023—when then-President Yoon Suk Yeol was reportedly 'furious' after receiving the initial investigation results—and August 2, when the ROK Marine Corps investigation team retrieved the case files from the Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency, Lee is believed to have ordered the suspension and retrieval of the transfer.
Park Jin-hee, a close aide to former Minister Lee, is accused of exerting pressure on the investigation line by maintaining close contact with Lee, Kim Gye-hwan, and others during the investigation into the Chae Private case in July and August 2023.
Park is also charged with drafting and using a false official document through the Legal Affairs Office, claiming that the president’s anger and involvement in the investigation were fabricated and that the minister’s order to suspend the transfer was legitimate, in an attempt to manage public opinion after suspicions of investigation interference arose.
Kim Dong-hyuk, the former Prosecutor General, is accused of retrieving the Chae Private case files transferred by the ROK Marine Corps investigation team to the police without a search and seizure and of exerting undue influence during the Ministry of National Defense Investigation Headquarters’ review process.
Yu Jae-eun is suspected of requesting the ROK Marine Corps to reduce the number of suspects and of improperly intervening in the Ministry of National Defense Investigation Headquarters’ review of the records.
Kim Gye-hwan, who was the highest-ranking commander of the ROK Marine Corps at the time of the Chae Private death case, faces charges including perjury and violation of the Act on Testimony and Appraisal before the National Assembly in connection with alleged pressure from higher authorities on then-ROK Marine Corps Investigation Team Commander Park Jung-hoon (Colonel) during the initial investigation. However, a previous arrest warrant requested by the Special Prosecutor Team on these charges was dismissed.
Pretrial detention hearings for these individuals are expected to be held in the middle or latter part of this week.
kyu0705@fnnews.com Kim Dong-gyu Reporter