Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Team Recalls Yoon Suk Yeol Administration’s Foreign Affairs and Security Officials over Alleged Involvement in Lee Jong-sup’s Escape

[Financial News] The Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Team, led by Lee Myeong-hyeon, is summoning key security officials from the Yoon Suk Yeol administration for further questioning regarding allegations that former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup was appointed as ambassador to Australia to facilitate his escape.
At a regular briefing on the 5th, assistant special prosecutor Jeong Min-young stated, “Choongmyeon Lee, former Secretary for Foreign Affairs at the National Security Office, is scheduled to be questioned today at 2 p.m. Jo Gurae, former Director-General for Planning and Coordination at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will be questioned at 10 a.m. on the 6th, and Jang Ho-jin, former Chief of the National Security Office, is scheduled for questioning at 10 a.m. on the 8th.”
Both former chiefs Jo and Jang have previously been questioned as suspects on charges of aiding and abetting a fugitive. Former secretary Lee was also previously questioned as a witness in the same case.
During this round of questioning, the special prosecutor team plans to compare the three individuals’ previous statements and focus on clarifying the circumstances surrounding Lee Jong-sup’s appointment as ambassador to Australia, as well as the internal discussions at Cheong Wa Dae (the Blue House) at the time. Assistant special prosecutor Jeong explained, “We intend to ask how the discussions regarding the ambassadorial appointment to Australia first began.”
The special prosecutor will also conduct a face-to-face investigation from this afternoon with Im Seong-geun, former commander of the 1st Marine Division, who is currently in custody. Im’s mobile phone is undergoing forensic analysis, and the National Forensic Service (NFS) has been requested to further verify deleted data and password change history.
Taking into account that Im’s detention period expires on the 11th, the special prosecutor team plans to indict those involved in charges of occupational negligence resulting in death or injury by the 10th. In addition, after completing the investigation of former President Yoon Suk Yeol regarding allegations of external pressure on the investigation and the ambassadorial appointment, the team is considering indicting all related parties at once.
scottchoi15@fnnews.com Choi Eun-sol Reporter