When Park Jeong-hoon, former head of the Marine Corps investigation team (colonel), who was indicted on charges of defamation and defamation of superiors in connection with the death of Corporal Chaemo of the Marine Corps, was found not guilty in the first trial on the 9th, former Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-seop protested, saying, “It is difficult to accept.”
Attorney Kim Jae-hoon, who defends former Minister Lee, issued a statement to reporters at the High-ranking Public Officials Crime Investigation Office on the same day, asserting that he was “confident that the military prosecutors will appeal and the case will be corrected in a civilian court” regarding the Central Regional Military Court’s acquittal. Appeals from military court trials are handled by the Seoul High Court.
Former Marine Corps investigation team leader (Colonel) Park Jeong-hoon, who was indicted on charges of defamation and defamation of his superior in connection with the death of Corporal Chae, is leaving the court after completing the first trial sentencing hearing held at the Central Regional Military Court in Yongsan-gu, Seoul on the 9th. On this day, the court found Colonel Park Jeong-hoon not guilty on all charges brought by the military prosecutors. News 1
Regarding the acquittal of former Minister Lee on charges of defaming him, he said, “Colonel Park is the only one who claims to have heard the question, ‘Is the division commander also subject to punishment?’” and “I cannot understand it based on common sense.” He also claimed, “It is an unreasonable logic of innocence.”
He said, “In the Army of the Republic of Korea, subordinates can question whether orders from their superiors are right, and do not have to follow them if they think they are unfair, and subordinates who carry out superior orders without properly reviewing their unconstitutionality or illegality are punished as accomplices, including treason, with their superiors.” He also claimed, “It’s done.”
Former Minister Lee is being investigated by the Corruption Investigation Office on charges of exerting external pressure on the Marine Corps Investigation Team, which is supposed to guarantee independent investigative authority, during the process of handing over the incident to the police after investigating the death of Chae Sang-Byeong. He was appointed ambassador to Australia in March last year, when the controversy over external pressure was in full swing, and resigned after leaving the country amid controversy over his ‘fleeing’.
Reporter Yejin Kim yejin@segye.com
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Source: www.segye.com
