Col. Park Jung-hun, center, former chief of the Marine Corps' investigation unit, appears at the Court-martial of the Central Region in Seoul on Nov. 21, for a hearing on allegations of insubordination toward his superior's directives concerning an internal investigation into the death of a Marine corporal, who was swept away by a torrent in a stream during a search operation for people missing amid heavy rains in July last year. Yonhap

Military prosecutors on Thursday demanded a three-year prison term for a former Marine Corps chief investigator over his alleged insubordination linked to an internal probe into a young conscript's death last year.

Col. Park Jung-hun is suspected of insubordination and defamation of his superior following an internal probe he led into the death of a corporal surnamed Chae, who was swept away by a torrent during a search for missing flood victims in July 2023.

"He has denied all charges and made a claim that is different from the facts. This substantially and negatively affects the command system and discipline of the military and there is a need for stern punishment," a military prosecutor said in the trial held at a court martial in central Seoul.

Military prosecutors indicted Park last October for allegedly handing over the internal probe results of Chae's death to the civilian police despite orders from then Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup and the Marine chief to wait for more legal deliberations.

Lee had initially approved the probe's findings before reversing his decision a day later, raising questions over the move.

Park had drawn up a report accusing eight military officials of being responsible for Chae's death. But the defense ministry immediately retrieved it from the police, while he was subsequently dismissed and indicted.

During Thursday's session, Park reaffirmed his innocence, claiming that his commander did not accurately order him to deter transferring the probe results to civilian police.

Park also denied defamation charges, saying he did not have any intention to do so.

The court martial is expected to deliver a verdict as early as next month.

The then 20-year-old Marine's death and developments over the military's internal probe had fueled national outrage, especially over initial findings that Chae and his colleagues were mobilized without proper safety gear. (Yonhap)