Colonel Park Jeong-hoon, head of the Marine Corps investigative unit, said upon attending the special investigation team on the afternoon of the 16th, "The part where the VIP's rage began has been proven as fact, not speculation, so everything will be properly revealed and organized."
On the afternoon of the same day, Colonel Park appeared before the special investigation team as a witness around 1 p.m. When asked how he evaluated the change in testimony of former Second Deputy Director of the National Security Office Kim Tae-hyo, who acknowledged the VIP anger theory, he said, "In the end, the truth will be revealed, and I believe that justice will prevail."
Colonel Park also noted, "July 19 will be the second anniversary of the late Marine Corps soldier Chae Soo-geun," adding, "I am confident that those responsible will face corresponding legal accountability."
As the head of the Marine Corps investigative unit, Colonel Park led the initial investigation into the incident involving the fallen Marines in July 2023. However, he was indicted on charges of defiance after he proceeded with the police transfer despite then-Marine Corps Commander Kim Gye-hwan's order to "halt the transfer" on the 31st of the same month.
The order to withhold the transfer was issued after the VIP anger theory arose during a presidential office meeting. The VIP anger theory alleges that former President Yoon Suk-yeol became enraged after receiving a report on the investigation results of the Chae Sang-byeong case at a presidential office meeting at 11 a.m. on July 31, 2023, and made phone calls to then-Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-seop to scold him, suspending the police transfer and causing the investigation results to be altered.
Earlier, on the 9th, the special investigation team decided to withdraw the appeal regarding Colonel Park's defiance case. Earlier this year, Colonel Park was acquitted in the first trial concerning the defiance charges, but the military prosecution appealed. The special investigation team, which received the case, made the decision to withdraw. With this, Colonel Park's acquittal was confirmed, and he returned to his position as head of the investigative unit.