The special investigation team for the deceased Marine announced on the morning of the 14th that it plans to summon former President Yoon Suk-yeol for questioning.
Special Prosecutor Jung Min-young noted during a media briefing that "Former President Yoon is an important suspect who needs to be summoned for questioning" and added, "If he does not comply with the investigation, we may need to consider various methods."
The special investigation team also announced that it would summon additional attendees from the presidential office meeting on July 31, 2023, related to the "VIP anger theory," including former Minister of Foreign Affairs Jo Tae-yeol. Special Prosecutor Jung stated, "The special investigation team plans to summon additional attendees from the meeting regarding the pressure on the investigation" and assessed that it is necessary to investigate former Minister Jo, but no schedule has been set yet.
The special investigation team plans to summon Lee Chung-myun, former diplomatic secretary of the National Security Office who attended the meeting, for questioning at 2 p.m. that day. For the same reasons, the special investigation team is also set to start with Lee and will investigate former economic secretary Wang Yun-jong within this week. The special investigation team reported that they are coordinating schedules for additional questioning of former Marine Corps Commandant Kim Gye-hwan.
The VIP anger theory is a suspicion that former President Yoon Suk-yeol became enraged after receiving a report during the presidential office meeting on July 31, 2023, regarding transferring the case of former Marine Corps 1st Division Commander Lim Sung-geun to the police for applying charges of negligent homicide in relation to the deceased Marine incident.
Subsequently, then-Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-seob put a hold on the transfer of the case to the police, and former Chief of Staff Lim was cleared of charges, leading to suspicions that there was pressure from the presidential office during this process, which the special investigation team is currently investigating.
Earlier, the special investigation team conducted search and seizure operations at over 20 locations related to the allegations of external pressure on the investigation of the deceased Marine from the 10th to the 13th. The special investigation team stated, "We searched over 20 locations including the residences and offices of the suspects and witnesses, and secured over 30 mobile phones and around 10 hard drives as evidence."