Seoul: Former President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday denied allegations that he had interfered in a military investigation into the 2023 death of a young Marine, his lawyers said. The jailed former president was questioned for about seven hours by a special counsel team and did not reportedly invoke his right to remain silent, answering most of the investigators' questions. Yoon faces charges of abusing his power and aiding a criminal's flight in the case.
According to Yonhap News Agency, investigators suspect that Yoon ordered the presidential office and the defense ministry to reverse the initial findings of a military probe into the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun. This was allegedly done to relieve a then Marine commander of responsibility. The late Marine died in July 2023 after being swept away in a swollen stream during a search mission for victims of heavy rains, without wearing a life vest or other safety equipment.
Yoon's lawyers told Yonhap News Agency that his anger at the time was directed not at the investigators but at the lack of preventive measures following the incident. Yoon also reportedly denied during Tuesday's questioning that he ordered the retrieval of the investigation records that the Marine investigation team had handed over to the police.
The former president is also suspected of helping former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup evade responsibility by appointing him as the country's ambassador to Australia in March 2024. The special counsel team stated that it plans to conclude its probe into the alleged interference and is coordinating with Yoon's attorneys to schedule a second questioning session related to the second charges.
The questioning is expected to take place around Sunday, considering the defense team's court schedule. Earlier in the day, Yoon was brought to the office of special counsel Lee Myeong-hyeon in a prison van and entered the building via underground parking, an exception to the rule that key suspects enter through the first-floor lobby. The special counsel team said it allowed the exception to ensure Yoon's safety at the request of his lawyers.
Yoon had largely ignored summonses by three special counsel teams, each investigating his failed attempt to impose martial law in December, various corruption allegations surrounding his wife Kim Keon Hee, and the Marine's case. This is the first time he has appeared before Lee's team and only the second time he has complied with any special counsel summons.