Special Prosecutor Summons Former Division Commander Seonggeun Lim for Third Time in Chae Case: "Right to Remain Silent Is a Suspect's Right"

On the morning of August 11, the special investigation team led by Special Investigator Myeonghyun Lee, which is probing allegations of external pressure in the investigation into the death of Marine Corporal Chae, summoned former Marine 1st Division Commander Seonggeun Lim for a third round of questioning.

Former Marine 1st Division Commander Seonggeun Lim is appearing on the 11th at the office of Special Investigator Myeonghyun Lee, a fallen Marine, in Seocho-gu, Seoul, to undergo questioning. Photo by Dongju Yoon

At around 9 a.m. that day, Lim appeared at the special prosecutor's office in Seocho-dong, Seoul. This was his third interrogation as a suspect, following previous sessions on July 2 and July 7. He is facing charges including occupational negligence resulting in death and abuse of authority to obstruct the exercise of rights.

Regarding his recent refusal to testify during the special prosecutor’s investigation, Lim stated, "The right to remain silent is a right guaranteed to suspects by the Constitution and the Criminal Procedure Act. I have already explained myself thousands of times during previous investigations and at National Assembly hearings, and it is the responsibility of the investigative authorities to uncover the truth based on evidence." He added, "I have not refused to testify on everything; I have exercised my right selectively."

He also insisted that he has no personal acquaintance with lawyer Go Seok, a classmate of former President Yoon Suk-yeol at the Judicial Research and Training Institute, who has been implicated in lobbying allegations. Lim claimed that his meeting with his cousin, Prosecutor Park Cheolwan, on August 1, 2023, was solely to be introduced to a lawyer.

Lim, as the commanding officer of Corporal Chae, who died during flood recovery operations in Yecheon-gun, North Gyeongsang Province, on July 19, 2023, is accused of ordering a risky search operation without providing life jackets and other safety equipment, resulting in occupational negligence causing death. He was initially named as a suspect in the Marine Corps investigation, but was later excluded from the list after the so-called "VIP outrage" incident. In this process, suspicions have arisen that Kim Keon-hee, the wife of former President Yoon Suk-yeol, may have exerted influence in a lobbying effort to save him.

The special investigation team plans to focus its questioning of Lim on August 11 on the charges of occupational negligence resulting in death, the lobbying allegations involving close associates of Kim Keon-hee, and suspicions of a false report on the circumstances of the accident immediately after the incident.

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