Former Investigation Chief Park Jeong-hoon Appears at Military Prosecution... "Minute-by-Minute Records" on Possibility of External Pressure Evidence

Investigation of Chaesangbyeong Case Mutiny Charges by Military Prosecutors Today
"I Will Comply Sincerely Without Exercising Veto"

On the 5th, Park Jeong-hoon, former Marine Corps Investigation Unit Commander (Colonel), who was booked on charges of insubordination and defamation of a superior officer while investigating the case of Marine Corps Corporal Chae who died during flood recovery efforts last month, appeared before the military prosecution.

Park appeared at around 9:40 a.m. at the Ministry of National Defense building in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, accompanied by his lawyer. Park’s legal representative, Attorney Jeong Gwan-young, stated, "He plans to testify without exercising his right to remain silent. The trump card is the truth. Because the power of truth is strong, I am confident that he can fully exercise his right to defense with it."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Regarding the insubordination charges, he argued, "The military prosecution should prove that orders were not sequentially issued from the Minister of National Defense to the Investigation Unit Commander, but currently, the burden has been reversed, requiring the accused to prove it."

Regarding another legal representative, Attorney Kim Jeong-min’s mention in a media interview that Park might possess a decisive recording proving pressure from higher-ups, Park said, "I will check on that," adding, "Colonel Park took meticulous notes, so there is a timeline down to the minute."

Park claimed that during a phone call with Yoo Jae-in, Legal Affairs Officer of the Ministry of National Defense, two subordinates were present and a speakerphone was used, suggesting the possibility that the call was recorded or that related records exist in some form. Attorney Jeong said, when asked by reporters whether the Ministry of National Defense’s investigation headquarters’ re-examined materials regarding Corporal Chae’s death in the line of duty were insufficient, "I think they are insufficient."

He elaborated, "The suspect and the charges should have been clearly recognized before being handed over to the police, but that was not clear. We judged that there are parts to be supplemented, which is why we are filing a lawsuit to nullify the dismissal from duty." The investigation of Park is expected to continue until the afternoon. The military prosecution stated, "We expect the accused to sincerely cooperate with the summons as promised to the military court."

There was no physical confrontation during the appearance. Park walked to the Ministry of National Defense’s back gate with discharged comrades wearing red Marine Corps T-shirts and entered after receiving an access pass.

Previously, the military prosecution first summoned Park on the 28th of last month, but the session ended after about 20 minutes as Park submitted only a written statement and refused to give oral testimony. Subsequently, the military prosecution requested an arrest warrant on the 30th, and on the 1st, Park went to the entrance of the military court for a pre-arrest detention hearing but was forcibly taken into custody after a standoff of about three hours over the method of entry. However, the military court dismissed the arrest warrant, stating, "It is difficult to recognize the risk of evidence tampering or flight, as well as the necessity and grounds for detention."

Meanwhile, Park is scheduled to appear before the High-ranking Officials’ Crime Investigation Office (Gong-su-cheo) on the 8th as a complainant for investigation. He filed a complaint through his legal representatives on the 23rd of last month against Kim Dong-hyeok, Chief Prosecutor of the Ministry of National Defense, and Yoo Jae-eun, Legal Affairs Officer, on charges of abuse of authority and obstruction of rights.

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