Special prosecutor questions ex-Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup over 'Chae case' interference allegations

South Korea's special prosecutor team is investigating former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup as a witness concerning alleged interference by the Defense Counterintelligence Command (DICC) in the investigation of Corporal Chae's death.

The investigation aims to determine if Lee issued instructions or received reports from the DICC during the handling of the case. This marks the first time the special prosecutor's team has summoned Lee for questioning.

Investigators have uncovered evidence suggesting the DICC attempted to obstruct information gathering related to the "VIP rage" allegations surrounding Corporal Chae's death. Consequently, former DICC Commander Hwang Yu-seong and a colonel who led the DICC unit attached to the Marine Corps have been booked on charges of abuse of power.

During the previous investigation by Special Prosecutor Lee Myung-hyun, it was confirmed that Hwang and the colonel had 14 phone calls between August 3 and August 24, 2023. This period coincided with the Defense Ministry retrieving the investigation records from the Marine Corps and the Defense Ministry's Investigation Headquarters reviewing them before handing them over to the police.

Lee Jong-sup, who served as Defense Minister at the time of Corporal Chae's death, is accused of ordering a hold on the transfer of the Marine Corps investigation results to the police after the "VIP rage" allegations surfaced in July 2023. He is considered a key figure in the alleged influence-peddling scandal. His subsequent appointment as ambassador to Australia while under investigation by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials sparked controversy, with accusations of an "evasive appointment."