The special counsel team investigating the death of a Marine and alleged pressure on the probe summoned former Ministry of National Defense Vice Minister Shin Beom-chul again as a suspect on the 14th. The special counsel team for the fallen Marine (Special Counsel Lee Myung-hyun) is questioning the former vice minister this afternoon on suspicion of abuse of authority to interfere with the exercise of rights.
Arriving around 1 p.m. that day at the Seocho Hansem Building in Seocho-gu, Seoul, where the special counsel's office is located, he responded to a reporter's question, "Did former President Yoon Suk-yeol personally check on the record retrieval situation?" by saying, he was "telling the special counsel everything as it is," and added, "I have always thought that all the truth must be revealed for Korea and the military." To the question of "whether the president ordered the removal of Colonel Park Jung-hoon from his post," he answered, "That did not happen."
Former Vice Minister Shin has been identified as the person who heard from former defense secretary Im Ki-hoon about the so-called "VIP fury," referring to former President Yoon Suk-yeol allegedly becoming enraged after receiving a briefing on the Marine Corps Investigation Unit's initial findings at a senior secretaries' meeting chaired by the presidential office on Jul. 31, 2023. He was also known to have had a phone call with the former president on Aug. 2, 2023, when the records in question were retrieved.
Earlier, the former vice minister appeared as a suspect and was questioned for two consecutive days on the 10th and 11th. The special counsel suspects that, regarding the Marine Corps Investigation Unit applying involuntary manslaughter by occupational negligence charges to eight people including former 1st Marine Division Commander Im Sung-geun, the former vice minister sent a text message to former Marine Corps Commandant Kim Gye-hwan to the effect of "remove the division commander."
Former Commandant Kim Gye-hwan also appeared before the special counsel from the morning that day and is being questioned. He is a suspect on charges including abuse of authority to interfere with the exercise of rights and perjury with intent to harm. This is his fourth questioning by the special counsel.
Meanwhile, at the same time, in connection with the appointment of former Ministry of National Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup as ambassador to Australia, a witness interview of former National Security Office diplomatic secretary Lee Chung-myeon is also underway. Former secretary Lee served as diplomatic secretary at the National Security Office from Jul. 2023 until the appointment of the former minister as ambassador to Australia in Mar. last year and is suspected of having been involved in the appointment of the former minister as ambassador to Australia.
Former Minister Lee was named a key suspect in the alleged pressure on the investigation and came under the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) probe, which imposed an overseas travel ban. However, he was appointed ambassador to Australia on Mar. 4 last year, and after his objection to the travel ban was accepted, he left for Australia on the 10th of the same month. As criticism mounted calling this "an escape-style departure," the former minister returned on the 21st of the same month, ostensibly to attend a chiefs of mission meeting. The special counsel believes the National Security Office planned the meeting at the time.
Former secretary Lee headed to the interrogation room without answering reporters' questions that day, such as "Did former President Yoon Suk-yeol order preparations for appointing the former minister as ambassador to Australia?" and "Did the National Security Office hastily plan a defense industry chiefs of mission meeting?"