The Marine special counsel said on the 13th that it had confirmed indications that the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials investigation team probing the death in the line of duty of the late Corporal Chae faced pressure from higher-ups within the organization.
At a regular briefing that day, special counsel Jeong Min-yeong said, "In the course of the investigation, we confirmed the fact of external pressure on the CIO investigation team in connection with Corporal Chae's case, and we also secured related evidence."
The previous day, the Marine special counsel sought arrest warrants on charges including abuse of authority for former prosecutors Kim Seon-gyu and Song Chang-jin, who each served as acting Minister and acting Vice Minister of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials at the time.
While serving as acting head of the CIO in the first half of last year, former Director General Kim is accused of obstructing the investigation, including by ordering that those involved in the case of pressure on the Corporal Chae probe not be summoned ahead of the April 10 general election.
While serving as acting Vice Minister of the CIO in June last year, former Director General Song is accused of obstructing the application for and execution of search and seizure warrants for former President Yoon Suk-yeol's personal mobile phone and the presidential office's extension numbers.
The Marine special counsel believes that, from early last year, the CIO investigation team reported the need to search and seize the presidential office and the office of former Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-sup, but the operation was not carried out promptly due to pressure from higher-ups. In the meantime, the former minister was appointed ambassador to Australia and left the country.
In the end, the search and seizure of the presidential office took place in May, after the impeachment of former President Yoon, and the search and seizure of the defense minister's office took place in July, after the special counsel team was launched.
The Marine special counsel said, "The suspects' crimes are recognized as serious because they are suspected of obstructing an unfettered investigation into crimes by high-ranking officials," adding, "It neutralized the purpose of establishing the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO)."
The pre-arrest interrogation of the suspects, former Director General Kim and former Director General Song, is scheduled for the 17th. Nam Se-jin, a warrant judge and presiding Director General judge at the Seoul Central District Court, has been assigned to hear the case.
The Marine special counsel's investigation period ends on the 28th. The Marine special counsel plans to soon finalize the investigation and bring former President Yoon and other related suspects to trial.