Special Prosecutor Indicts Yoon Suk Yeol and 11 Others for 'Investigation Interference'... "Yoon Issued Specific and Direct Orders in Certain Cases" [Comprehensive]

[Financial News] The Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Team, led by Lee Myeong-hyeon, has indicted former President Yoon Suk Yeol, former Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-sup, and 10 others on charges including abuse of authority for allegedly exerting improper pressure on the investigation into the death of a ROK Marine Corps member.
The special prosecutor determined that former President Yoon, acting as commander-in-chief, exceeded his general authority over investigative agencies by issuing specific and direct orders in a particular case, thereby undermining the fairness and independence of the military police investigation. It was also concluded that Lee Jong-sup and other senior officials at the Ministry of National Defense (MND) systematically divided and executed these actions, constituting a 'serious power abuse crime.'
At a regular briefing on the 21st, Jeong Min-young, Deputy Special Prosecutor of the Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Team, announced, "We have indicted former President Yoon, former Minister Lee, and 10 other individuals without detention on charges including abuse of authority for exerting undue pressure to alter the investigation results of the ROK Marine Corps death case." The special prosecutor submitted the indictment to the Seoul Central District Court at around 9 a.m. that day.
Those indicted include: former President Yoon, former Minister Lee, former National Security Advisor Cho Tae-yong, former Vice Minister of National Defense Shin Beomcheol, former MND Spokesperson Jeon Ha-gyu, former Director-General for Defense Policy Heo Tae-geun, former MND Legal Affairs Director Yoo Jae-eun, former Military Aide to the Minister of National Defense Park Jin-hee, former Chief Prosecutor of the MND Kim Dong-hyuk, former Commandant of the ROK Marine Corps Kim Gye-hwan, then MND Planning and Management Director Yoo Kyun-hye, and then Head of Organization Management Lee.
The special prosecutor's team reported that, through searches of suspects' residences and over 130 interrogations, they confirmed the substance of the 'VIP outrage' that had been concealed for nearly two years. According to the team, after receiving the initial investigation report from the ROK Marine Corps Investigation Unit—where Lim Seong-geun, former commander of the 1st Marine Division, was named as a suspect—former President Yoon became enraged and ordered that Lim and others be excluded from the list of suspects. In response, former Minister Lee issued an unlawful and improper order to Colonel Park Jung-hoon, then head of the ROK Marine Corps Investigation Unit, to withhold the transfer of the investigation records.
The special prosecutor concluded, "Former President Yoon issued specific and direct instructions in the so-called 'Chae Marine death case' to exclude Lim and other senior commanders from the list of suspects, and former Minister Lee and others successively carried out these unlawful and improper orders, abusing their authority and undermining the fairness and independence of the military police investigation."
Notably, former President Yoon reportedly ordered the retrieval of case records through former National Security Advisor Cho and directed the reassignment and insubordination investigation of Colonel Park through former Vice Minister Shin. Jeong Min-young emphasized, "Former President Yoon stood at the apex of this series of abuses of authority. He did not merely express an opinion on the investigation results once, but, after becoming enraged at findings approved up to the Minister of National Defense, ordered the retrieval of lawfully transferred records—actions that far exceeded the discretionary powers of a commander-in-chief."
Former Minister Lee argued that he issued the order to withhold the transfer out of concern for trauma among on-site commanders. However, even in the initial draft of the Ministry of National Defense Investigation Headquarters' review, Lim and other senior commanders remained listed as suspects. After five subsequent reviews, four officers, including Lim, were excluded from the list of suspects for occupational negligence, and only factual circumstances were recorded.
When Colonel Park defied these orders and attempted to transfer the records to the Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency, evidence emerged of an organized retaliatory investigation and prosecution. Actions such as the 'preemptive reassignment' of former Commandant Kim, the insubordination investigation of former Chief Prosecutor Kim, the retrieval of records by former Director Yoo, and the alteration of investigation results led by former aide Park after the case was transferred to the Ministry of National Defense Investigation Headquarters, were all deemed 'power abuse crimes obstructing the exercise of rights.'
Other parties were found to have participated in crimes such as insubordination investigations, perjury, perjury before the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, and the creation and use of false official documents. The special prosecutor also applied abuse of authority charges to acts of prosecutorial misconduct, such as biased investigations by military prosecutors and the submission of evidence, and confirmed that secrets related to the insubordination investigation were leaked to the Office of the President of South Korea.
Meanwhile, suspicions of lobbying for Lim through Protestant circles and the 'Stylish Marines' group chat were not included in the indictment. The special prosecutor plans to address these matters during further investigations and witness examinations at trial.
Some individuals who assisted in the investigation received suspended indictments (meaning they were not prosecuted despite evidence of wrongdoing, considering various circumstances). Lee Si-won, former Secretary for Public Discipline who linked the MND and police, and Lim Ki-hoon, former Defense Secretary who drafted a false written response submitted by former Advisor Cho to the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, were granted suspended indictments due to mitigating circumstances.
Although arrest warrants for five key suspects accused of investigation interference, including former Minister Lee, were dismissed, the special prosecutor maintains that the facts of the crimes can be proven in court. The team emphasized, "We will do our utmost to maintain the prosecution and ensure that appropriate sentences are handed down for each offense."
[email protected] Choi Eun-sol Reporter