Seoul: Lim Seong-geun, former commander of the Marine Corps 1st Division, appeared at the office of Special Prosecutor Lee Myeong-hyeon to be questioned about allegations surrounding the tragic death of a Marine in 2023. Lee's team summoned Lim as a suspect of occupational negligence resulting in the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun, who was swept away in a swollen stream during a search and rescue mission for victims of downpours in July 2023. Lim is accused of ordering the search operation involving Chae without providing safety equipment, such as a life jacket.
According to Yonhap News Agency, police had earlier decided not to punish Lim after a yearlong investigation. However, protests from Chae's family prompted the prosecution to resume the investigation. Lim retired from the military in February this year. Before entering the special counsel's office in Seocho-dong, southern Seoul, Lim expressed a sense of moral responsibility but maintained that he was not legally accountable as he did not order an underwater search.
The special counsel is also investigating allegations that former President Yoon Suk Yeol, Yoon's aides, and former defense ministry officials interfered in a military probe into Chae's death. Additionally, there are claims that Lee Jong-ho, former head of Black Pearl Invest, engaged in lobbying to exonerate Lim using his acquaintance with former first lady Kim Keon Hee. Lim denied these lobbying allegations, stating that he has never met Lee Jong-ho and is not acquainted with Kim Keon Hee. He further clarified that he had not heard of any allegation that Yoon displayed anger after being briefed on the military investigation's findings into Chae's death.