Former Aide Lee Jong-seop: "Park Jeong-hoon Investigated as if Directed by Bereaved Families"

Major General Park Jin-hee of the Army, who served as a military aide to former Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-seop, criticized the investigation conducted by former Marine Corps Investigation Unit Commander Colonel Park Jung-hoon regarding the death of Marine Corps Corporal Chae Mo on the 3rd.

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Currently serving as a frontline division commander, Major General Park appeared as a witness for the military prosecution at the 7th trial session held at the Central Military Court in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, concerning Colonel Park's charges of insubordination and defamation of a superior officer.

Major General Park stated, "If you look at it with suspicion, it would be a bundle of suspicions, but simply put, it was an order to withhold the transfer (to civilian police) of the case." He added, "Colonel Park conducted the investigation diligently, but it seemed as if he was taking investigative directions from the bereaved family and investigating according to what the family wanted. Clearly, military discipline and obedience to orders should have been maintained, but it was not in this case. I cannot understand calling the Minister's legitimate orders external pressure."

Major General Park also testified that on July 31 of last year, he inquired with a legal officer of major rank in the military aide office about whether the transfer of this case could be withheld and received a response that it was possible. He stated that he conveyed to former Minister Lee that withholding was possible. Former Minister Lee is scheduled to appear as a witness at the resumed trial session later that afternoon.

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