The special counsel investigating the death of a Marine killed in the line of duty on the 10th indicted former 1st Marine Division Commander Lim Seong-geun on charges of occupational negligence causing death and injury and violating an order under the Military Criminal Act, in connection with the death of Lance Corporal Chae Su-geun. Identified as a key figure in the allegations, the former division commander was brought to trial 2 years and 4 months after Lance Corporal Chae died in the line of duty in July 2023.
At a regular briefing that day, the special counsel said it had indicted the former division commander Lim under arrest. The special counsel also indicted without detention former 7th Brigade Commander of the 1st Marine Division Col. Park Sang-hyun on charges of occupational negligence causing death and injury; former Artillery Brigade 11th Battalion Commander of the 1st Marine Division Lt. Col. Choi Jin-gyu; former 7th Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Lee Yong-min; and Capt. Jang, who was the headquarters company commander of the 7th Battalion.
The former division commander Lim is accused of ordering an underwater search without providing safety gear such as life jackets during an operation to search for people swept away by flooding around the Naeseong Stream in Yecheon County, North Gyeongsang, in July 2023, causing one Marine to die and injuring other Marines (occupational negligence causing death and injury).
Lim is also charged with exercising command authority over the operation despite lacking operational control (violation of order under Article 47 of the Military Criminal Act).
Col. Park, who served as commander of the 2nd Rapid Deployment Unit and led on-site command during the search operation, is accused of influencing the incident by conveying to Lt. Col. Choi, the senior battalion commander of the artillery unit, the former division commander Lim's rebukes of the artillery unit and orders such as a "checkerboard search," and by pressuring with remarks such as "It would be good to see direct action."
Lt. Col. Choi is accused of influencing the incident by relaying the former division commander Lim's and Col. Park's instructions and emphases to Lt. Col. Lee and others, and raising "entry to waist depth" without explicit approval from higher command; Lt. Col. Lee is accused of passing down such orders to subordinate troops, leading to the accident.
Since its launch in July, the special counsel has questioned a total of 80 people, including all suspects, victims and reference witnesses, and in August conducted an on-site visit to the Yecheon area of North Gyeongsang where the incident occurred. It also visited the 1st Marine Division in Pohang, North Gyeongsang; the 2nd Marine Division in Gimpo, Gyeonggi; and the Marine Corps Headquarters in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, to conduct investigations.
Earlier, considering indications that the former division commander Lim attempted to destroy evidence, the special counsel sought an arrest warrant for Lim on the 21st of last month, and the court issued the warrant on the 24th of last month.