South Korea: Special Counsel To Summon Ex-Marine Chief For Questioning Next Week In Marine Death Probe

(MENAFN- IANS) Seoul, July 4 (IANS) A special counsel team said Friday it will summon a former top commander of the Marine Corps next week for questioning as part of its investigation into the military's response to the 2023 death of a Marine.

The team ordered former Marine Corps Commandant Kim Kye-hwan to appear Monday over allegations the then high-ranking officials, including former President Yoon Suk Yeol, interfered in a military probe into the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun, who was swept away by a swollen stream during a search for torrential rain victims in July 2023.

Kim has agreed to appear for the session, which will focus on instructions he received from then Defence Minister Lee Jong-sup and the presidential office, an assistant special prosecutor told reporters in a briefing, reported Yonhap news agency.

On Thursday, the special counsel team imposed fresh exit bans against Kim and Lim Seong-geun, former commander of the 1st Marine Division that Chae belonged to.

Lim was grilled by special prosecutors on Wednesday over alleged occupational negligence resulting in the death of Chae.

Earlier, on Thursday, a special counsel team said Thursday it has imposed a fresh exit ban on former Defence Minister Lee Jong-sup as part of its investigation into the military's response to the 2023 death of the Marine.

The team led by special counsel Lee Myeong-hyeon has also banned former Marine Corps Commandant Lt. Gen. Kim Kye-hwan and Lim Seong-geun, former commander of the Marine Corps 1st Division, from leaving the country pending the probe, it said during a press briefing.

All three men were previously placed under exit bans by the prosecution and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, but the special counsel team renewed the measures after the case was transferred to them.

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