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As suspicions grew that the initial military investigation was inadequate in relation to the sexual assault and death of an Air Force non-commissioned officer, military officials from the Justice Office are requesting that the high-ranking public officials be investigated one after another. Defense Minister Seo Wook said that he would continue the military investigation even if he was transferred to the Airborne Service, but the bereaved family criticized it as being treacherous, saying that people who believed in the military investigation were being investigated, so they demanded a transfer.
This is Kim Tae-hoon, a defense reporter specializing in defense.
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The Prosecutor's Office of the Ministry of National Defense notified the High-ranking Public Officials Crime Investigation Office of the case related to the Air Force's Justice Office and Director Jeon Ik-soo, which were pointed out as the culmination of allegations of improper investigation into sexual harassment and death cases.
However, following the former head of the Justice Department, the head of the High Prosecutor's Office and the head of the General Prosecutors' Office also requested that the case be transferred to the Airborne Division.
It is known that these ranks are lieutenant colonel and major, respectively, and are based on the provisions of the Airborne Service Act that they may be transferred if they fall under the investigation target, such as a high-ranking public official and a joint criminal, although they are not general officers subject to the investigation.
The high-ranking law enforcement officers one after another questioned the legitimacy of the Ministry of National Defense investigation and, in effect, protested.
Defense Minister Seo Wook, who attended the National Assembly, said that the military would thoroughly investigate the case, regardless of whether the Airborne Service was transferred or not.
[Seo Wook/Minister of Defense: We will notify the Air Airborne Service that this is the case, and the Air Airborne Service will make a judgment, but we will continue the investigation.]
The bereaved family of Sergeant A criticized, "It is against the law to ask for a transfer to the Airborne Service because you are the subject of the investigation while telling the military prosecutor to trust the investigation."
The bereaved family also sued the head of the Air Force's Gender Equality Center, the 20th Wing battalion commander, and the sexual grievance counselor, who are suspected of poor handling, including delayed reporting, to the Ministry of National Defense Prosecutor's Office on charges of neglect of duty and abuse of power.
(Video coverage: Han Il-sang, video editing: Won Yang)