The police investigation into the death of a Marine conscript during a post-flood search operation last year is in its final stage, a senior police official said Monday.

The young Marine conscript, surnamed Chae, was swept away by a torrent during a search for missing flood victims in the southeastern county of Yecheon in July last year. A half-day later, he was found dead.

Police have so far questioned eight suspects, including former division and battalion commanders of the Marine Corps, to investigate allegations that Marine conscripts were mobilized for the risky search mission without proper safety gear, resulting in the death of Chae.

“Several individuals involved have been sufficiently questioned, and the fact-finding process has been finalized to some extent,” said Woo Jong-soo, head of the National Office of Investigation.

Police are currently in the process of deciding the types of criminal charges to be brought against each suspect, Woo said.

Objectivity and fairness of the process would be e
nsured by convening an investigation assessment committee composed of experts both inside and outside the police organization, he said, adding that police will “finalize the investigation as soon as possible.”

The police investigation has been closely followed as the main opposition Democratic Party pursues a bill mandating an independent counsel investigation into alleged interference by presidential and defense officials in the Marine Corps’ internal investigation into Chae’s death.

The ruling People Power Party objects to the bill, insisting that the necessity of a special counsel inquiry should be decided after the investigation results from the police and the anti-corruption investigation body, which is conducting a separate inquiry into the alleged interference.

Source: Yonhap News Agency