Former foreign, justice ministers searched in Marine death probe

Former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae delivers his farewell message to justice ministry employees at the government complex in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul, June 5. Korea Times photo by Choi Joo-yeon

A special counsel team carried out searches and seizures against former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae and former Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul on Monday over allegations related to suspected government interference in an initial probe into the death of a Marine in 2023.

Special counsel Lee Myeong-hyeon's team executed the warrants on the vehicles and mobile phones of Park, Cho and former National Security Adviser Chang Ho-jin as part of its investigation into the allegations surrounding the probe into Cpl. Chae Su-geun's death.

Chae died in July 2023 after being swept away by an overflowing stream during a search mission for torrential rain victims.

The team's investigation has focused on allegations that the initial suspects of the probe were cleared after alleged interference by high-ranking officials of the then Yoon Suk Yeol administration, including Yoon himself and former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup.

The team has been investigating Park over a decision to lift Lee's travel ban in March last year despite the former defense minister being investigated by the anti-corruption agency at the time.

Lee left the country that month after being named ambassador to Australia but returned home soon afterward as controversy mounted over his departure.

The team seeks to look into whether the presidential office was involved in the decision to lift the travel ban and investigate possible illegal activities related to his appointment as ambassador.

Cho and Chang, respectively, served as the Yoon administration's foreign minister and national security adviser at the time.

Assistant special counsel Choung Min-young said in a briefing that his team had questioned officials at the foreign and justice ministries as witnesses and carried out the warrants against Park and other officials to secure further evidence.

Meanwhile, the team plans to question former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun on Wednesday about a meeting he attended in July 2023 where Yoon allegedly vented his anger about the preliminary results of the military probe.

The team also seeks to question former National Intelligence Service Director Cho Tae-yong again Friday after his appearance last week. Cho attended the meeting of senior presidential aides along with Kim as the national security adviser at the time.