Former Marine Corps Investigative Division Commander Colonel Park Jeong Hoon’s legal team has urged President Yoon Suk Yeol to accept the Special Chae Sang Byung Prosecutor Law.
On the morning of May 17, Park, Attorney Kim Jeong Min, supporters of Park, and Reform Party leader Lee Jun Seok held a press conference to announce this in front of the Central Military Court in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. On this day, the fourth trial related to the charges against Park will be held. The Defense Ministry’s Legal Affairs Manager Yu Jae Eun, is scheduled to appear as a witness.
Kim demanded the following:
- Acceptance of the special investigation law by President Yoon
- Defense Minister Shin Won Sik’s neutrality in military trials
- Opposition to the cancellation of prosecution for clarifying all suspicions in military trials
- Dismissal of the Defense Ministry’s Prosecution Division Director
- Marine Corps Commander Kim Gye Hwan’s confession of the truth.
Yoon must decide whether to exercise his veto by May 22. Kim stated, “It’s delusional to think that this issue can be resolved through the Corruption Investigation Office by rejecting the special investigation,” and argued that “the head of the Corruption Investigation Office will eventually be someone close to Yoon.”
He also criticized Yoon for his “non-response” to the “anger theory” question at his second-anniversary inauguration press conference on May 9, stating, “It’s not courteous to the people.”
Lee stated, “I don’t understand why First Lady Kim Keon Hee is resuming her activities, but it seems she thinks she has escaped from the waves of public sentiment in the general election,” and argued that if Yoon exercises his veto on the special investigation law, the judgment theory that appeared in the April 10 general election “could resurface.”
Kim commented on the non-appearance of Jung Jong Beom, the Marine Corps Deputy commander at the time of the incident, in today’s trial. He said, “It seems he is shying away due to perjury. It’s against the dignity of a general.”
On May 14, Jung submitted a reason for non-appearance to the military court, stating, “As a frontline operational unit commander, it is difficult to leave my post to maintain a readiness posture.”
The court stated, “Although some reasons were deemed valid, considering the importance of Jung’s testimony in this trial, we will maintain his witness status and question him at the next date.”
Meanwhile, the court accepted the witness application for former Defense Minister Lee Jong Sup, submitted by Park’s side.
The court explained, “Lee Jong Sup is related to the circumstances of the commander’s transfer suspension order, so it is necessary to confirm whether it is a legitimate order.”
However, whether to select Commander Kim Gye Hwan as a witness again will be decided after all scheduled witness testimonies are completed.