Marine Independent Counsel Team on Lim Sung-geun's Final Guilty Verdict: "Leaves Trust That Citizens Sending Children to Military Can Rest Assured"

Regarding the final ruling sentencing former Marine Corps 1st Division Commander Lim Sung-geun, who was identified as responsible for the death of Corporal Chae Su-geun (then Private First Class), to three years in prison today (the 27th), the Special Prosecutor Lee Myung-hyun's Independent Counsel Team evaluated the decision as "a ruling that leaves both a warning and trust."

Immediately following the sentencing, the independent counsel team released a statement saying, "The final ruling serves as a warning that those responsible for safety must fulfill their duties to the very end, while leaving the public with the trust that when an accident occurs, accountability will be determined regardless of one's rank. The foundation upon which citizens can send their children to the military and entrust their everyday safety to society lies in that trust."

The independent counsel team stated regarding the Supreme Court ruling, "The court determined that while pressure from above became a concrete risk as it traveled downward, no commander at any level fulfilled their own responsibility to verify safety. This ruling has made it clear that those who exercise command authority must be held accountable for the consequences."

Offering condolences to the bereaved family of Corporal Chae, the independent counsel team pointed out regarding the fact that accountability was determined 3 years and 3 months after the fatal accident occurred, "The state bears responsibility for the delay in uncovering the truth."

They added, "If the safety of soldiers could not be protected, the final duty the state must perform is to transparently reveal the truth behind their deaths. The path walked by the independent counsel has been a process of belatedly fulfilling that obligation."

Reflecting on the past investigation, the independent counsel team stated, "Our task was to follow and uncover to the end the structure hidden behind the sacrifice of a young man. We re-unveiled the full picture of the case based solely on evidence and legal principles, and the result is today's final ruling."

They also conveyed, "Even if someone tries to cover up the truth, they cannot block the sky with the palm of their hand. We believe the aspiration placed by the public in the independent counsel was not for a scapegoating closure that passes the buck downward, but an investigation that follows the truth to the end."

Regarding the court's partial acquittal of former Commander Lim on the charge of violating orders—specifically regarding his instruction to former 7th Brigade Commander Park Sang-hyun to continue operations despite operational withdrawal guidelines—they stated, "While the independent counsel is left with some regret, we respect the court's judgment made after examining the evidence."

However, they emphasized, "A difference in some judgments does not change the essence of the case. Responsibility for the consequences of death and injury extended all the way to the top commander, and Lim Sung-geun was held accountable for violating the chain of command."

The independent counsel team concluded, "Our remaining task is to keep the promise we confirmed before the death of Corporal Chae—a military where the safety of soldiers is protected and a country where accountability is traced to the end. To fulfill that task, we will do our utmost until the very end to maintain the prosecution of remaining cases."
 
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.