Seoul: Former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup has acknowledged receiving a phone call from former President Yoon Suk Yeol in July 2023, prior to his alleged interference in a military investigation regarding the death of a young Marine. This information was disclosed in a statement of opinion sent to Special Prosecutor Lee Myeong-hyeon's team, as stated by his lawyers.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the lawyers confirmed in a press release that the former defense minister received the call from former President Yoon at 11:50 a.m. on July 31, 2023. During the call, Yoon expressed concern about the military, particularly relating to the initial probe into the death of Corporal Chae Su-geun. Corporal Chae had died while participating in a search operation for victims of torrential rains earlier in the month.
The call, which lasted 2 minutes and 48 seconds, was followed by Lee allegedly contacting former Marine Corps Commandant Kim Kye-hwan to intervene in the military investigation. The special counsel team suspects that Yoon had expressed his displeasure during a meeting with senior presidential secretaries earlier on the same day. The meeting reportedly addressed the military investigation's findings that suggested punishment for a Marine division commander over Chae's death.
However, Lee, through his lawyers, denied any allegations of Yoon's resentment or interference in the military investigation. The investigation and the circumstances surrounding the call remain a focal point of the special prosecutor's ongoing inquiry.