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Special Counsel Lee Myung-hyun, who is leading the probe into interference in the Marine death investigation. / Source: Yonhap News

A special counsel investigating allegations of interference in the probe of a Marine’s death has launched a raid on the Ministry of National Defense’s prosecution unit.

On Friday morning, investigators searched the military prosecutors’ office in Yongsan, Seoul, including the former office of ex-chief Kim Dong-hyuk. The move aims to uncover how military prosecutors pursued insubordination charges against Col. Park Jung-hoon, former head of the Marine Corps investigative unit.

In July 2023, Park was indicted for defying orders after forwarding case records to police despite instructions from then-Marine Corps Commandant Kim Gye-hwan to withhold them following a presidential office meeting.

At the time, the military prosecution retrieved the files from Gyeongbuk police and charged Park with leading a collective insubordination.

Park was acquitted in the first trial earlier this year, and the special counsel withdrew its appeal, finalizing his innocence. He was reinstated as Marine investigative chief on August 11.

Meanwhile, ex-military prosecution chief Kim Dong-hyuk has been questioned seven times as a suspect on abuse of power charges, and Maj. Yeom Bo-hyun has been summoned three times over allegations of falsifying official documents.