2024-05-04 15:50:20
[尹-李 거부권 충돌]
The ‘Corporal Chae death in the line of duty incident’ that led to the conflict between Yeon and Lee
1st Marine Division commander charged with manslaughter
Lee Jong-seop, suspends the transfer a day after approval
The ‘suspicion of external pressure in the case of Corporal Chae’s death in the line of duty’, in which the government and the opposition party clashed over the Special Prosecutors’ Act, stemmed from the Ministry of National Defense and the Presidential Office’s investigation into the incident on July 19 last year when Corporal Chae of the 1st Marine Division died after being swept away by a torrent of water during a search operation for missing persons in Yecheon-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do. It is said that it was reduced and concealed.
Park Jeong-hoon, former head of the Marine Corps investigation team (colonel), concluded that since about 30 Marines, including Corporal Chae, were sent to the scene without life jackets at the time of the search, eight people, including former Marine Corps 1st Division commander Lim Seong-geun, should be handed over to the police on charges of professional negligence manslaughter. However, controversy erupted when then-Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-seop stopped the police transfer a day after approving the report, and when the Ministry of National Defense prosecutors recovered the investigation report, Colonel Park exposed ‘external pressure on the investigation.’
Colonel Park’s side claims, “Former Minister Lee withheld the transfer as President Yoon Seok-yeol became enraged when he was informed of the results of the investigation the next day.” In response, former Minister Lee’s side said, “At the time of receiving the first report, we raised questions about the fact that criminal charges were applied to all eight people, including two female junior executives who participated in the search operation,” and added, “After listening to various opinions and after careful consideration, we put the transfer on hold.” The position is, “I did it.”
Although the opposition party, including the Democratic Party of Korea, pushed through the special prosecution bill on the 2nd, the President’s Office is of the position that it must wait to see the results of the investigation by the High-ranking Public Officials Crime Investigation Office (Corruption Investigation Office). This is because the Corruption Investigation Office’s investigation into suspects against Colonel Park and Ministry of Defense officials who were reported by the Democratic Party last year has just begun. The Gyeongbuk Police Agency is investigating a case of occupational negligence manslaughter against those in command at the time of the search.
The ruling party also claims that ‘forcing a special investigation into a case being investigated by the Corruption Investigation Office and the police is politically motivated.’ On the other hand, the opposition party is of the position that a special prosecution is necessary for a speedy investigation, as the ‘special prosecution for state affairs corruption’ was also introduced while the prosecution investigation was in progress.
Reporter Heo Dong-jun hungry@donga.com
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2024-05-04 15:50:20