The Marine Corps special prosecutor's office is conducting a second summons investigation of former Marine Corps Commander Kim Gye-hwan starting from the morning of the 17th. It is reported that former Commander Kim received information about the 'VIP anger theory' from the presidential office at the time of Corporal Chae's death.
Former Commander Kim appeared at the special prosecutor's office in Seocho-dong, Seoul, around 10:25 a.m. as a suspect facing charges of abuse of power and interference with official duties. This is the second summons following the first summons on the 7th, where he underwent 12 hours of questioning.
When asked by reporters, 'Do you still think the former President Yoon's anger is not a fact?', 'Did the attendees at the meeting on that day acknowledge that former President Yoon was angered, but you deny this?', and 'Have you conveyed anything to Colonel Park Jeong-hoon regarding former President Yoon's anger?', he entered the special prosecutor's office without answering.
Former Commander Kim is suspected of being involved in the process of external pressure from above during the initial investigation led by former Marine Corps Investigation Division Commander Park Jeong-hoon (Colonel) during the Corporal Chae death incident in July to August 2023.
The Marine Corps special prosecutor plans to clarify the essence of the 'VIP anger theory' through former Commander Kim. The VIP anger theory alleges that former President Yoon became furious after being briefed on the investigation results of the Corporal Chae incident during a presidential meeting at 11 a.m. on July 31, 2023, and postponed the transfer to the police while scolding then-Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-seop over the phone, compelling changes to the investigation results.
Earlier, Colonel Park Jeong-hoon stated that former Commander Kim summoned him to the commander's office around 5 p.m. on the day of that meeting to inform him of former President Yoon's anger. Former Commander Kim denies this.
Meanwhile, the special prosecutor also additionally summoned Lee Chung-myeon, the former diplomatic secretary of the National Security Office, who was first summoned on the 15th, as a witness around 10 a.m. on this day.
The former secretary is one of the attendees at the presidential-led foreign affairs and security senior secretary meeting where the VIP anger theory emerged, and it is reported that he provided testimony during the first special prosecutor's investigation, stating that he witnessed former President Yoon getting angry after receiving a report from then-Defense Secretary Lim Gi-hoon.