SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- An appellate court on Friday upheld a three-year prison sentence for a former Marine commander over the death of a Marine during a search mission for heavy rain victims in 2023.

The Seoul High Court maintained the lower court's ruling against Lim Seong-geun, a retired two-star general and former head of the 1st Marine Division, convicting him of occupational negligence resulting in death.

A special counsel team had sought a five-year sentence for Lim over the death of 20-year-old Cpl. Chae Su-geun in a swollen stream during the operation in Yecheon, some 160 kilometers southeast of Seoul, in July 2023.

The appellate court recognized that Lim's orders at the time for aggressive search efforts failed to consider on-site conditions and resulted in dangerous water operations without safety guidelines or protective equipment.

The court also upheld lower court sentences for other defendants, including an 18-month prison term for Park Sang-hyun, former head of the 7th Marine Brigade, who oversaw field operations at the scene.

Chae's death sparked a major public outcry following allegations that the administration of then President Yoon Suk Yeol attempted to cover up a military investigation into the incident.

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr

(END)

  • U.S. Marines stage live-fire drills involving FPV drones for 1st time in S. Korea
  • Galaxy Z series logs 1.44 mln preorders in S. Korea, highest on record
  • Singer-actor Cha Eun-woo files appeal after paying 13 bln won in taxes
  • (2nd LD) Temperatures soar to record 42.5 C in southeast

  • Navy's ROKS Daejeon awarded 'top gun' honor at RIMPAC

  • U.S. Marines stage live-fire drills involving FPV drones for 1st time in S. Korea

  • (LEAD) Police raid Starbucks Korea over controversial promotional event
  • Singer-actor Cha Eun-woo files appeal after paying 13 bln won in taxes
  • Navy's ROKS Daejeon awarded 'top gun' honor at RIMPAC

  • (3rd LD) Temperatures soar to record 42.5 C in southeast

  • U.S. Marines stage live-fire drills involving FPV drones for 1st time in S. Korea

  • (3rd LD) N. Korea fires short-range ballistic missile toward East Sea: military
  • S. Korea's Danuri orbiter successfully films moon collision of SpaceX rocket
  • (LEAD) S. Korea posts record-high current account surplus again in June on strong chip exports
  • N. Korea fires unidentified projectile toward East Sea: military