South Korea's Marine Corps Commander Faces Questioning over Alleged Influence-Peddling

South Korea's Marine Corps Commandant Lt. Gen. Kim Kye-hwan was summoned by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) on Saturday for questioning over an alleged influence-peddling case related to the death of a young Marine last year. Kim arrived at the CIO's office in Gwacheon, south of Seoul, on Saturday morning but remained tight-lipped when asked questions by reporters.

Why this matters: The investigation into the Marine Corps commander's alleged influence-peddling has significant implications for the integrity of South Korea's military justice system and the government's accountability to the public. The outcome of this case could also impact the already lowapproval ratings of President Yoon Suk Yeol and influence the country's political landscape.

The investigation revolves around Kim's suspected involvement in exerting undue influence over the military prosecution's handling of the inquiry into the death of Marine Cpl. Chae Su-geun during a search and rescue mission for civilian victims of flooding last summer. Col. Park Jung-hun, the Marines' former top investigator, was indicted in October on charges of insubordination and defamation of his superior after handing over the probe findings to the civilian police despite orders to hold on to them.

Park claims Kim ordered the case to be scaled down, citing requests from the Presidential Office, which resulted in the reduction of suspects from eight to two. Kim denies the allegations, accusing Park of cooking up a story, and testified that he never mentioned "the VIP" during their conversation.

The CIO also questioned Yoo Jae-eun, a legal affairs official at the defense ministry, and Park Kyung-hoon, a former acting chief of the Criminal Investigation Command, on Friday. Yoo is suspected of talking to a presidential secretary and interfering in Col. Park's probe, while Park Kyung-hoon is suspected of reducing the number of suspects after receiving the case from the police. The CIO is expected to summon former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup and former Vice Defense Minister Shin Beom-chul on similar charges after questioning Kim.

The opposition-controlled National Assembly has passed a bill launching a special counsel probe into allegations that the government of President Yoon Suk Yeol interfered in the investigation into Cpl. Chae's death. The bill targets officials at the presidential office, the Ministry of National Defense, and Marine Corps to investigate whether they exerted influence to omit allegations of criminal activity. President Yoon must now decide whether to veto the bill, with a decision expected in the next couple of weeks.

Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs Hong Chul-ho expressed strong regret over the passage of the bill, stating, "If the president accepts the bill, it would leave a bad precedent and even be considered as a dereliction of duty." Hong called the bill "a legislative frenzy by the opposition bloc that violates judicial procedures."

The bill's passage has placed President Yoon in a major political dilemma, as his approval ratings have plummeted below 30 percent amid strong public support for the special prosecutor probe. The opposition bloc holds 180 seats in the 300-member National Assembly, making it possible for them to override a potential veto by the president. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining the fate of the special counsel investigation and its impact on the ongoing influence-peddling case surrounding the death of Marine Cpl. Chae Su-Geun.

Key Takeaways

• South Korea's Marine Corps Commandant Lt. Gen. Kim Kye-hwan summoned for questioning over alleged influence-peddling.
• The case involves the death of Marine Cpl. Chae Su-geun during search and rescue mission last summer.
• Kim was accused of exerting undue influence over the military prosecution's handling of the inquiry.
• Opposition-controlled National Assembly passes bill for special counsel probe into government interference.
• President Yoon faces a political dilemma, with approval ratings below 30% and potential veto override.