Colonel Park Junghoon of the Marine Corps will return to his position as head of the Marine Corps Investigation Unit after nearly two years. This comes as the special prosecutor investigating allegations of interference and external pressure in the investigation of the death of a Marine withdrew its appeal in Park's insubordination trial, thereby confirming his acquittal.

The Marine Corps Command announced on the 10th that "with the special prosecutor's withdrawal of the appeal regarding the case of the deceased Marine, Colonel Park, whose acquittal has now been confirmed, will be reinstated as head of the Marine Corps Investigation Unit as of the 11th." This comes 1 year and 11 months after he was removed from his post during the investigation into the Chae Marine incident in August 2023.

During the investigation into the Chae Marine incident in 2023, Colonel Park forwarded the initial investigation results to the police despite orders from his superiors to withhold them, and was subsequently tried on charges of insubordination and defamation of a superior officer. In January of this year, the military court acquitted Colonel Park, and the special prosecutor withdrew its appeal the previous day, confirming his acquittal. After being removed from his post, Colonel Park worked without a formal position until March, when he was assigned as Deputy Chief of the Marine Corps Personnel Office. This was a non-standard post and unrelated to Colonel Park's specialty (military police).

On August 11, 2023, Park Junghun, former head of the Marine Corps Investigation Unit, who was booked on charges of "leading a collective defiance" related to the investigation of the late Corporal Chae Sugun, expressed his position in front of the Ministry of National Defense Prosecutor's Office in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and then saluted. Park, who was scheduled to appear before the military prosecutor's office, stated, "I clearly refuse the investigation by the Ministry of National Defense Prosecutor's Office." Photo by Yonhap News

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Park Junghun, former head of the Marine Corps Investigation Unit, is greeting before speaking as a witness at the legislative hearing on the "Special Prosecutor Appointment Act for the Truth Investigation of Obstruction and Cover-up of the Death in the Line of Duty of Marines" (Chae Sangbyung Special Prosecutor Act) held by the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee in June 2024. Photo by Yonhap News

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At the plenary session held at the National Assembly on the 25th, members of the Marine Corps Reserve Regiment shouted slogans in protest after the 'Special Prosecutor Law for Chae Sangbyung' re-deliberation agenda was rejected. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

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Sergeant Chae, a Marine who died in the line of duty, and related to the case, former Marine Investigation Unit Commander Colonel Park Junghoon, who was indicted on charges of insubordination and defamation of a superior officer, is seen rejoicing with his mother Kim Bongsun after being acquitted at the first trial sentencing hearing held on the morning of the 9th at the Military Court of the Ministry of National Defense in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

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Colonel Park Junghun, former head of the Marine Corps Investigation Unit, who was acquitted in the first trial related to the death of Marine Corporal Chae Mo, is attending the first hearing of the second trial held on the 13th at the Seoul High Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yoon Dongjoo

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Colonel Park's defense team released a statement on this day, saying, "We welcome the confirmation of his acquittal. We express our infinite gratitude to everyone who stood by Colonel Park and supported his principles, wherever and whenever it was needed." The defense team added, "However, Colonel Park remains an active-duty soldier, and the tasks of uncovering the truth behind the interference and cover-up of the investigation into the deceased Marine, which the special prosecutor must clarify, are still ongoing. Colonel Park and his defense team will continue to do their utmost to resolve the remaining issues."