The special prosecutor investigating the death of a Marine plans to summon former economic security secretary Wang Yoon-jong, who attended the ‘VIP anger’ meeting chaired by former President Yoon Suk-yeol, for questioning at 2 p.m. on the 15th.
On that day, Special Prosecutor Jung Min-young noted in a briefing, “We plan to summon former Secretary Wang, a participant in the meeting, as a witness for questioning at 2 p.m.”
Additionally, Special Prosecutor Jung stated, “Tomorrow (16th), at 2 p.m., we will summon former Deputy Minister of the Presidential Office Kang Yi-gu for questioning” and added, “Former Deputy Minister Kang was in a position to directly assist former President Yoon during the Cha Sang-byeong death incident.” He also said, “(Through the questioning of former Deputy Minister Kang), we will investigate whether there was any presidential office interference in relation to the allegations of investigative intervention immediately after the death of Cha Sang-byeong.”
The VIP anger theory suggests that former President Yoon became enraged after receiving a briefing on the investigation results of the Cha Sang-byeong case during a presidential office meeting at 11 a.m. on July 31, 2023, and that he reprimanded then-Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-seob over the phone, preventing the case from being forwarded to the police and allegedly changing the investigation results.
It was investigated that the meeting included former President Yoon, former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun, former National Intelligence Service Director Jo Tae-yong, former Deputy Director of the National Security Office Kim Tae-hyo, former Defense Secretary Im Gi-hoon, former Foreign Affairs Secretary Lee Chung-myeon, and former Secretary Wang, totaling seven participants.
Special Prosecutor Jung said, “Among the seven, only three, including former President Yoon, former Deputy Director Kim, and former Director Jo, are suspects,” adding, “The remaining four are currently witnesses.”