Supreme Court Upholds Lim Seonggeun's 3-Year Sentence in 'Chae Sugeun's Death in the Line of Duty' Case ... Ruling Comes 3 Years and 3 Months Later

Ordered an Underwater Search Without Safety Equipment

Lim Seonggeun, former commander of the Marine Corps' 1st Division, was sentenced to three years in prison for his role in the death of the late Corporal Chae Sugeun. The Supreme Court's ruling came about three years and three months after Chae died in the line of duty.

Former 1st Marine Division Commander Lim Seonggeun arrives as a suspect at the special prosecutor's office investigating the Marine's death, located in the Seocho Hanssem Building in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on July 2. The special prosecutor officially launched the investigation with a signboard unveiling ceremony and summoned Lim, a key suspect, for questioning on its first day. July 2, 2025. Photo by Cho Yongjun

The Supreme Court's First Division, presided over by Justice Shin Sukhee, on October 27 upheld the lower court's sentence of three years in prison for Lim, who was indicted on charges of causing death and injury through occupational negligence and violating orders under the Military Criminal Act.

Park Sanghyeon, former commander of the Marine Corps' 7th Brigade, and Choi Jingyu, former commander of the 11th Artillery Battalion, who were tried alongside Lim, were each sentenced to 18 months in prison. Jang, former commander of the headquarters company of the 7th Artillery Battalion, received an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Lim and the others were indicted on charges of causing Chae's death by having him conduct an underwater search without safety equipment such as a life jacket in the area around the Naeseongcheon Stream in Yecheon County, North Gyeongsang Province, in July 2023. Lim was also accused of directing specific search methods even after operational control had been transferred to the commander of the Army's 50th Division.

The first- and second-instance courts found a causal link between Lim's occupational negligence and the accident and sentenced him to three years in prison. The second-instance court, however, acquitted him of some of the charges of violating orders, citing insufficient evidence.

The Supreme Court upheld the lower court's ruling. It found that Lim had an "obligation to comply with the chain of command following the transfer of operational control" and failed to take necessary safety measures despite being able to foresee the risks of the Marines' underwater search. The court also determined that his negligence, together with that of other commanders, led to the accident.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.