Seoul: Special Prosecutor Lee Myeong-hyeon's team said Monday it plans to summon former President Yoon Suk Yeol's secretaries this week as part of an investigation into allegations that top military officials and the presidential office intervened in an initial probe of the 2023 death of a young Marine.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the team has been investigating the allegations that Yoon vented his anger during a meeting of senior presidential secretaries on July 31, 2023, and took issue with the results of the military's investigation into the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun, who died while searching for torrential rain victims in July of that year. Yoon is accused of pressuring then Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup to change the results of the investigation.

Assistant Special Prosecutor Jeong Min-young stated in a media briefing, "The special counsel will summon the participants in the July 31, 2023, meeting, and former presidential foreign affairs secretary Lee Choong-myon and former presidential economic security secretary Wang Yun-jong will be called in this week." Jeong added that they plan to investigate how the reports were made at the meeting and what instructions Yoon gave, noting that the meeting participants are believed to be well aware of the suspicions.

The special counsel team last week raided the presidential office, the defense ministry, and Yoon's residence to seize the meeting minutes related to Yoon's alleged resentment and materials on the defense ministry's responses to media reports on the Marine's death. It also questioned former Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo about the allegations involving Yoon.