The special investigation team for the deceased Marine has reportedly secured a statement from Lee Chung-myeon, the former diplomatic secretary to the National Security Office, that "he witnessed former President Yoon Suk-yeol getting angry." This former secretary is said to have attended the "VIP rage" meeting presided over by former President Yoon.
A member of the special investigation team for the deceased Marine said, "During the investigation of the former secretary on the 14th, he made a statement acknowledging the 'VIP rage theory.'"
The former secretary is reported to have been investigated for about seven hours starting from 1:30 p.m. the previous day. During the investigation, the former secretary stated that he witnessed former President Yoon getting angry after receiving a report from the then-Defense Secretary Im Gi-hoon, but he was reported to have said he did not know exactly what was said or why he was angry.
The 'VIP rage theory' suggests that former President Yoon became furious after being briefed on the investigation results of the death of Private Chae at a presidential office meeting on July 31, 2023, at 11 a.m., and he allegedly called then-Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-seob to reprimand him, delaying the police transfer and altering the investigation results.
Former Deputy Director Kim Tae-hyo, who attended the meeting, is also reported to have stated during the special investigation that "former President Yoon became very angry after receiving the investigation results of the Chae incident."
Meanwhile, the special investigation team for the deceased Marine plans to summon Kang Yi-gu, the former Deputy Minister of the Presidential Office, for questioning at 2 p.m. on the 16th. It has been investigated that Kang was in a position to directly assist former President Yoon during the incident of Private Chae's death, although he did not attend the meeting.