Officer who resisted pressure in Marine death probe promoted to general

Col. Park Jung-hoon salutes before delivering remarks after receiving a special award at a ceremony hosted by the civic Roh Hoe-chan Foundation in Jongno-gu, Seoul, in February 2024. (YouTube screencapture)

Col. Park Jung-hoon, the former Marine Corps investigator who was removed from his post after resisting external pressure in an investigation into the 2023 death of a Marine, has been promoted to brigadier general, the Defense Ministry said Friday.

Park led the Marine Corps’ investigation into the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun, but was dismissed from his position in 2023 and later indicted on insubordination charges after refusing to revise investigative findings. He was acquitted at a military court and has since served as acting deputy head of the Defense Ministry’s Criminal Investigation Command, the military body responsible for conducting criminal investigations involving service members. Following his promotion, Park will assume the post of acting director of the CIC, officials said.

Col. Kim Moon-sang, who refused multiple orders to deploy helicopters under the Army Special Warfare Command to Seoul during former President Yoon Suk Yeok's emergency martial law declaration in 2024, was also promoted to brigadier general. His actions delayed troops' entry into the National Assembly. Kim will assume duties as director of civil-military operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The promotions were part of a broader reshuffle effective Friday, elevating 41 officers to major general and 77 to brigadier general, according to the Defense Ministry.

“The reshuffle focused on selecting outstanding officers capable of building a military faithful to its core mission, grounded in loyalty to the Constitution and the people,” the ministry said.

Park’s promotion comes amid renewed scrutiny of the handling of the Marine’s death, which occurred on July 19, 2023, when Chae was swept away during a search mission for heavy rain victims without a life vest or other safety equipment.

Park’s original probe sought to hold senior officers accountable, but its conclusions were overturned following alleged intervention from higher authorities.

Last week, a special counsel team wrapped up a 150-day investigation, indicting 33 people, including former President Yoon, on charges related to exerting pressure on the military investigation and covering up responsibility for the incident. The findings cast fresh attention on Park’s earlier refusal to alter the probe’s outcome.

The reshuffle also marked a broader diversification of senior military leadership, with a sharp rise in promotions of officers from non-Korea Military Academy backgrounds and nontraditional career tracks.

Five female officers were promoted this year — one to major general and four to brigadier general — the highest number since women were first promoted to general rank, the ministry said.