Former Presidential Secretary of Kang Ui-Koo. /Yonhap News

Kang, the former Deputy Minister of the Presidential Office, voluntarily appeared at the Special Prosecutor's Office on the 16th to be questioned by the Marine Special Investigation Team. Kang was found to be in a position directly assisting former President Yoon Suk-yeol during the death of Cha Sang-byeong.

Around 2:01 p.m. that day, Kang appeared at the Marine Special Investigation Team's office located in the Seocho district of Seoul.

Reporters asked Kang, "Have you heard about the 'VIP rage theory'?" and, "Did former President Yoon instruct regarding the initial investigation results in the Cha Sang-byeong death case?" However, Kang entered the Special Prosecutor's office without answering any questions.

The Marine Special Investigation Team plans to determine whether there was presidential office involvement in the investigation, including allegations of interference, from immediately after Cha Sang-byeong's death through Kang's questioning.

The 'VIP rage theory' alleges that former President Yoon became furious after being briefed on the investigation results of the Cha Sang-byeong case during a presidential office meeting on July 31, 2023, at 11 a.m., and that he scolded then-Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-seop over the phone, resulting in the delay of police involvement and an alteration of the investigation results.

It was found that seven individuals, including former President Yoon, former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun, former National Intelligence Service Director Jo Tae-yong, former Deputy Director of National Security Kim Tae-hyo, former Defense Secretary Lim Gi-hoon, former Diplomatic Secretary Lee Chung-myeon, and former Secretary Wang Yoon-jong, attended the meeting.

Of these, three individuals, former Deputy Director Kim Tae-hyo, former Secretary Lee Chung-myeon, and former Secretary Wang Yoon-jong, reportedly stated to the Marine Special Investigation Team, "I saw former President Yoon become furious."

Meanwhile, Kang was also summoned for questioning by the insurrection special investigation team on the 30th of last month. Kang is under suspicion of having drafted the minutes of the cabinet meeting just before former President Yoon Suk-yeol declared a state of emergency on December 3 of last year.

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