Special Prosecutor Summons Former Legal Affairs Director Yoo Jaeun Over Alleged External Pressure in Chae Sangbyung Case

Special Prosecutor Summons Yoo Jaeun for Alleged Abuse of Authority
Investigation Focuses on Suspected Pressure to Reduce Number of Suspects
Park Sanghyun, Former Brigade Commander, Also Questioned as a Suspect

The special prosecutor team led by Lee Myunghyun, which is investigating allegations of external pressure in the probe into the death of Marine Chae Sangbyung, summoned Yoo Jaeun, former Legal Affairs Director of the Ministry of National Defense, on the 18th. Yoo has been called in as a suspect on charges including abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights.

Yoo Jaeun, former Legal Affairs Director of the Ministry of National Defense and one of the key figures suspected of external pressure and cover-up in the investigation of the death of Chaesangbyung, is appearing on the 18th at the Special Investigation Team for Fallen Marines in Seocho-gu, Seoul, to be questioned as a suspect. Photo by Yonhap News

Yoo appeared at the special prosecutor’s office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, at around 9:33 a.m. on this day. When asked by reporters whether he had received instructions to reduce the number of suspects at a Ministry of National Defense meeting on July 31, 2023, and what he would focus on in today’s questioning, he responded, "I will answer sincerely during the investigation."

He did not respond to further questions, such as whether he had told Colonel Park Junghoon to "limit the suspects when transferring the case," whether he believed that retrieving the records was illegal, and his position on allegations that he was involved in the retrieval of investigative records.

Yoo is suspected of having called Park Junghoon, head of the Marine Corps investigation team who conducted the initial investigation into Chae Sangbyung’s death in July and August 2023, on multiple occasions to pressure him to remove the names of suspects, details of the charges, and criminal charges from the investigation report. He is also alleged to have led the process on August 2, 2023, in which the Ministry of National Defense’s prosecution team unlawfully retrieved investigative materials related to the case-without a warrant-on the same day the Marine Corps investigation team transferred the case, which involved eight people including then-Marine Division 1 Commander Lim Sungkeun, to the North Gyeongsang Provincial Police Agency on charges of occupational negligence resulting in death. Furthermore, he is suspected of being involved when the Ministry of National Defense’s investigation headquarters later reviewed the case and reduced the number of suspects from eight to two.

Meanwhile, the special prosecutor team is also questioning Park Sanghyun, former commander of the 7th Brigade of the Marine Division 1, who was the on-site commander at the time of Chae Sangbyung’s death, as a suspect on this day.

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