Retired Marines Petition for Severe Punishment for Former Commander in Chae Sang-byeong Death Case

Retired Marines have submitted a petition to the court calling for the severe punishment of former Marine Corps Division 1 Commander Lim Seong-geun in relation to the death of Private Chae Sang-byeong. The Marine Corps Veterans Association announced on the 21st that they submitted the petition to the court presiding over the trial for former Commander Lim's charges of professional negligence resulting in death, stating that the petition included signatures from 16,274 citizens.

The association argued that former Commander Lim's command activities exceeded the scope of his authority, leading to the death of a subordinate. Furthermore, the retired Marines pointed out that after Private Chae Sang-byeong's death, former Commander Lim was more focused on maintaining his position than on reflecting, and that evidence emerged of his attempts to seek leniency through connections in political and government circles, raising suspicions of evasion of responsibility. They urged the court, stating, "There is no future for the military filled with commanders who turn a blind eye to the death of their subordinates," and "Please pronounce a severe sentence for the responsibility of undermining the military chain of command."

Former Commander Lim is currently on trial in the first instance for charges including professional negligence resulting in death, related to the incident where Private Chae Sang-byeong died during flood recovery operations in Yecheon, Gyeongbuk province, in July 2023. The prosecution requested a prison sentence of five years at the final hearing.