Marine Corps Initiates Disciplinary Action Over Former Investigation Unit Chief's Broadcast Appearance

The Marine Corps Command has initiated disciplinary procedures in connection with former Marine Corps Investigation Unit Commander Park Jeong-hoon’s appearance on live TV broadcasts, where he exposed allegations of case downplaying and external pressure after being charged with leading a collective insubordination related to the death of Corporal Chae Su-geun.

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The Marine Corps Command notified former Investigation Unit Commander Park to appear at a disciplinary committee meeting scheduled for 2 p.m. on the 16th in the Deputy Commander’s office at the Command. The Marine Corps Command took issue with Park’s appearances on KBS 1TV current affairs programs 'Sasa Geongeon' and 'News 9' shortly after he refused to cooperate with the Ministry of National Defense prosecution team’s investigation on the 11th.

It is reported that the Command cited regulations on Marine Corps public relations and military security duties, which prohibit military personnel from giving media interviews without prior approval. Typically, disciplinary committee members are of higher rank than the subject of the discipline, so it is expected that generals superior to Park will conduct the review.

Former Investigation Unit Commander Park has stated that he will not attend the disciplinary committee. On the 13th, his attorney Kim Kyung-ho said, "We will request a disciplinary investigation to guarantee the right to testify and submit a first request to postpone the disciplinary committee. At the same time, we will request disclosure of the disciplinary records, and if the records do not arrive by the 15th, we will submit a second postponement request due to restrictions on exercising the right to defense."

Separately, they plan to request disclosure of the disciplinary committee member list from the Marine Corps Command, and if there is no response, they will file another postponement request citing infringement of the right to challenge. He added, "If the disciplinary committee proceeds on the 16th regardless, it will be an illegal and unfair disciplinary action, so attending would be meaningless. We will submit a statement of absence and a request for written proceedings, and both the attorney and former Investigation Unit Commander Park will be absent, preparing for appeals and administrative lawsuits."

Meanwhile, Park’s side plans to apply for the convening of the 'Military Prosecution Investigation Review Committee' on the 14th. This committee was established after the death of Air Force Sergeant Lee Ye-ram to enhance the fairness of military prosecution. It is an organization set up to increase public trust in the procedures and outcomes of military prosecution investigations in cases that raise national suspicion or attract social attention.

Previously, former Investigation Unit Commander Park was charged with 'leading collective insubordination' for failing to follow orders not to transfer the investigation results of Corporal Chae Su-geun’s death to the police. On the 11th, when he was scheduled to appear before the Ministry of National Defense prosecution team, he refused the military prosecution investigation and appealed to be investigated by an objective and fair third-party institution.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.