The special investigation team for the deceased Marine said on the 16th, "We have secured testimony that former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun attended a meeting where the 'VIP was enraged.'"
At a regular briefing that day, Special Prosecutor Jeong Min-young noted, "There is someone who specifically testified that former Minister Kim attended the meeting."
The theory of VIP rage alleges that former President Yoon Suk-yeol was enraged after receiving the report on the investigation results of the Chae Sang-byeong incident at a presidential office meeting on July 31, 2023, at 11 a.m., and that he reprimanded then-Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-seop by phone, causing the police referral to be withheld and changing the investigation results.
At the time of the meeting, former Minister Kim was in the position of Director of the Presidential Security Service. He was a senior to former President Yoon at Chungam High School and was considered one of Yoon's closest aides and a key figure in the administration.
Investigations found that seven people, including former President Yoon, former Minister Kim, former National Intelligence Service Director Jo Tae-yong, former first deputy director of the National Security Office Kim Tae-hyo, former defense secretary Lim Gi-hoon, former diplomatic secretary Lee Chung-myeon, and former economic security secretary Wang Yun-jong, attended the meeting.
When asked whether all seven would be summoned, Special Prosecutor Jeong responded, "Generally, we plan to investigate them all, but I do not know whether the schedules for their attendance are being coordinated." Accordingly, it is expected that former Minister Kim will soon be summoned by the special investigation team for the deceased Marine and undergo questioning.