South Korea: Ex-Marine chief appears for special counsel questioning for 4th time

Seoul, Sep 14 (IANS) Former Marine Corps Commandant Kim Kye-hwan appeared before a special counsel team Sunday over alleged interference in an initial probe of the 2023 death of a young Marine.

The retired three-star general is suspected of being involved in the alleged interference in the military probe of the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun, who drowned while searching for torrential rain victims in July 2023 without safety gear.

Kim arrived at the team's office in southern Seoul but declined to answer questions from reporters. It was his fourth appearance following two in July and another Saturday, Yonhap news agency reported.

The team has been looking into allegations that former President Yoon Suk Yeol burst into a rage during a meeting of senior presidential officials in July 2023 after learning the initial probe blamed a senior Marine commander for Chae's death.

Kim had initially denied telling the top Marine investigator in charge of the initial probe of the episode about Yoon. During a court hearing on July 22, however, he acknowledged for the first time that he had heard about Yoon's alleged outburst of anger.

The court also rejected an arrest warrant for Kim that day, citing the lack of risk of flight or evidence tampering.

Earlier in July, former National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Cho Tae-yong has acknowledged former President Yoon Suk Yeol flew into a rage when he was briefed on the results of an initial probe into the death of a Marine in 2023, reversing his yearslong denial, legal sources said.

Cho made the admission during questioning by special counsel Lee Myeong-hyeon's team as a suspect over allegations of government interference in the Marine Corps' investigation into the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun in July 2023, according to the sources.

Chae was swept away by an overflowing stream while on a search mission for torrential rain victims.

--IANS

int/rs