Former National Security Chief Cho Taeyong Appears Before Chae Sangbyeong Special Prosecutor: "I Will Cooperate with the Investigation"

Suspect on Charges of Abuse of Authority and Obstruction of the Exercise of Rights

Former National Security Office Chief Cho Taeyong appeared before the Chae Sangbyeong special prosecutor's team (led by Special Prosecutor Lee Myeonghyeon) as a suspect on the morning of July 29. Cho was one of the seven attendees at the National Security Office meeting where the so-called "VIP rage incident" reportedly occurred.

On the 29th, Cho Taeyong, former National Security Office chief, appeared as a suspect at the Seoul Seocho-gu Sunjik Marine Special Investigation Office to be investigated on charges of abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights. Photo by Yonhap News

At approximately 9:20 a.m. on this day, Cho appeared at the special prosecutor's office in Seocho-dong, Seoul, as a suspect on charges of abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights. In response to reporters' questions such as "Did you witness former President Yoon's rage firsthand?", "What instructions did the president give after receiving the report?", and "Didn't you initially state at the meeting that the investigation results were not reported to the president?", Cho briefly answered, "I will faithfully cooperate with the investigation."

The special prosecutor's team plans to focus their questioning on whether former President Yoon received a report on the investigation results of the Chae Sangbyeong case, what his reaction was, and whether he directly ordered the withholding of the case transfer and the exclusion of the division commander from the list of suspects.

There is also attention on whether Cho will reverse his previous statements during the investigation. Until now, Cho has denied the "VIP rage" in the National Assembly and elsewhere. However, as it has been reported that other participants in the meeting, such as former First Deputy Director of the National Security Office Kim Taehyo, testified to the special prosecutor that President Yoon did in fact express rage, attention is focused on whether Cho will change his stance.

Cho attended the July 31, 2023, presidential office's Senior Secretary for Foreign Affairs and National Security meeting as the National Security Office Chief, where former President Yoon reportedly became enraged after receiving the initial investigation results from the Marine Corps investigation team regarding the Chae Sangbyeong case. After the meeting, Cho remained with former Defense Secretary Im Kihun and had a separate conversation with President Yoon, and on the same day the Marine Corps investigation team's initial results were retrieved from the police, he reportedly spoke on the phone with former Defense Minister Lee Jongseop. On July 11, the special prosecutor's team conducted a search and seizure of Cho's residence and other locations.

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