Arrest Warrants Dismissed for Two Counterintelligence Command Leaders in 'VIP Anger Allegation Cover-up' Case: "No Concern Over Evidence Destruction"

Yuseong Hwang and Yeoncheol Moon Accused of Abuse of Authority

The commander of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, suspected of covering up the so-called "VIP Anger Allegation" related to the death of a Marine on duty, has avoided arrest.

Hwang Yuseong, former Commander of the Republic of Korea Military Counterintelligence Command. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

On August 12, Lee Jong-rok, a judge in charge of warrants at the Seoul Central District Court, rejected the arrest warrant requested by the second special investigation team for Yuseong Hwang, former Commander of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, after conducting a pretrial detention hearing. The judge stated, "There is room for disputing the criminal allegations, and considering the course of the investigation, there is no significant concern about destruction of evidence or flight." The arrest warrant for Yeoncheol Moon, former head of the counterintelligence unit at the Marine Corps Command, who was charged alongside Hwang, was also dismissed for the same reasons.

They are accused of intervening in the handling of the case after the death of Private First Class Chae on July 20, 2023, including blocking the collection of information related to the "VIP Anger" incident. It is alleged that on July 31, 2023, during a meeting of the presidential chief secretaries, then-president Yoon Suk-yeol was briefed about those responsible for Private Chae's death and reacted angrily.

Hwang, as the head of the Defense Counterintelligence Command at the time of the incident, is known to have overseen the military intelligence agency. Moon, the former unit chief, was dispatched to the Marine Corps Command and was in charge of gathering relevant information.

During the investigation, it was revealed that after the death of Private Chae, Hwang had a series of phone calls with former Minister of National Defense Jongseop Lee, former Chief of National Security Taeyong Cho at the presidential office, former second deputy director of the National Security Office Jongdeok Im, and former Secretary for Public Office Discipline Siwon Lee.

It has been reported that Moon held a conversation with former Marine Corps Commander Gyehwan Kim at the time, discussing the need to prevent Jeonghoon Park, the head of the Marine Corps Investigation Team, from revealing the "VIP Anger Incident," as there was a possibility he was aware of it and might expose it.

Based on this information, the second special investigative team is continuing its investigation, considering the possibility that the counterintelligence command was systematically involved in concealing the "VIP Anger Incident."

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