Seoul: An appellate court has upheld a three-year prison sentence for Lim Seong-geun, a former Marine commander, over the death of a Marine during a search mission for heavy rain victims in 2023. The Seoul High Court maintained the lower court's ruling, convicting Lim, a retired two-star general and former head of the 1st Marine Division, of occupational negligence resulting in death.

According to Yonhap News Agency, a special counsel team had sought a five-year sentence for Lim due to the death of 20-year-old Corporal Chae Su-geun. Chae lost his life in a swollen stream during the operation conducted in Yecheon, approximately 160 kilometers southeast of Seoul, in July 2023. The appellate court determined that Lim's orders for aggressive search efforts at the time failed to consider on-site conditions, leading to dangerous water operations without appropriate safety guidelines or protective equipment.

The court also upheld lower court sentences for other defendants involved in the case, including an 18-month prison term for Park Sang-hyun, the former head of the 7th Marine Brigade, who oversaw field operations at the scene. Chae's death caused a significant public outcry amid allegations that the administration of then-President Yoon Suk Yeol attempted to cover up a military investigation into the incident.