On the 18th, the Special Investigation Team for the deceased Marine Corps filed a warrant for the arrest of former Marine Corps Commandant Kim Gye-hwan with the court. This is the first warrant request since the launch of the special investigation team. Former Commandant Kim is reported to have received the 'VIP anger theory' from the presidential office regarding the death of Private Chae.
The special investigation team announced in a notice sent to reporters that, 'We have requested an arrest warrant for former Commandant Kim on charges of conspiracy to commit perjury at the Seoul Central District Court.'
The special investigation team noted, '(Former Commandant Kim) is a superior who instructed Colonel Park Jeong-hoon regarding the transfer of investigatory records,' adding, 'There is substantial reason to suspect that the suspect has committed a crime, the crime is serious, and there is a high possibility of evidence destruction, necessitating detention investigation.'
Earlier, the Special Investigation Team for the deceased Marine Corps summoned and interrogated former Commandant Kim on the 7th and 17th as a suspect under suspicion of interfering with the exercise of authority.
Former Commandant Kim is under suspicion of being involved in the process of upper-level pressure on Colonel Park Jeong-hoon, who commanded the initial investigation during the death of Private Chae in July to August 2023.
The Marine Corps Special Investigation Team plans to reveal the substance of the 'VIP anger theory' through former Commandant Kim. The theory suggests that former President Yoon became furious after being briefed on the investigation results of the Private Chae case during a presidential office meeting at 11 a.m. on July 31, 2023, and reprimanded then-Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-seob over the phone, resulting in the withholding of police transfer and alteration of the investigation results.