Seoul: Former National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Cho Tae-yong has been summoned to appear for questioning this week over allegations of government interference in an initial probe into the 2023 death of a Marine, a special counsel team said Monday. Cho has been asked to appear as a suspect at special counsel Lee Myeong-hyeon's office on Tuesday morning, assistant special counsel Choung Min-young said during a press briefing. Cho faces charges of abuse of power.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the investigation aims to uncover details regarding how the Cpl. Chae investigation results were communicated to the president, the president's reaction, the instructions given, and the impact of those instructions on the investigation outcomes. Cho was reportedly present at a crucial meeting on July 31, 2023, where then-President Yoon Suk Yeol reacted strongly to the preliminary probe results that implicated a senior Marine commander in the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun. Chae died earlier that month while on a mission related to search efforts for torrential rain victims.
Cho is believed to have been one of two officials Yoon retained at the meeting, after which Yoon contacted then Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup. He is also suspected of contacting the defense minister days later, following the Marine Corps' investigation team's decision to send preliminary findings to the police, reportedly against superior orders.
The core of the case involves allegations that the investigation results were altered to exonerate the initial suspects. This month, the special counsel team conducted a raid on Cho's residence, seizing his cellphone and other items, as part of the ongoing investigation.