hankyoreh

A member of the Marine Corps awaits news of a fellow Marine who was swept away in flood waters while searching for those missing in torrential downpours in North Gyeongsang Province’s Yecheon County on July 19, 2023. (Yonhap)

Two Marines who survived being swept up in currents during a flood search and rescue operation that claimed the life of a fellow Marine last July sent an open letter to South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol urging him to accept legislation for a special prosecutor to investigate the incident.

Explaining that they did not “want to go through the experience again of feeling terrible about not being able to do anything,” they asked Yoon not to exercise his veto authority.

On Tuesday, the Center for Military Human Rights Korea shared the letter written by two reservists with the 1st Marine Division who completed their service and were discharged after serving with the deceased soldier, who was identified by his surname Chae. The center did not disclose their names in order to protect the reservists, who it said had “already been through a difficult experience.”

In the letter, the survivors said, “We learned through the news that the presidential office has described the legislation for a special prosecutor for Cpl. Chae as an example of ‘bad politics exploiting a death.’”

“We believe that you will not view us too as ‘exploiting’ Cpl. Chae’s death,” they continued.

They went on to say, “Nine months have already passed since the incident. After waiting this long, it does not seem excessive to think that a special prosecutor is now necessary.”

“We want to know the truth,” they added.

“We do not want to go through the experience again of feeling terrible about not being able to do anything for Cpl. Chae, as we did when we let him slip away from us,” they said.

“Mr. President, please do not exercise your veto powers. Do not make us feel ashamed to be citizens of the Republic of Korea,” they urged in closing.

In sharing the letter, the center said, “As soon as the special prosecutor bill was passed, the president denounced it as ‘bad politics,’ and we hope the sincere feelings [the survivors] expressed might lead him to think about what ‘bad politics’ truly is.”

“Accepting the special prosecutor bill is the proper course. Do not take the public’s anger lightly,” the center urged.

By Kim Ga-yoon, staff reporter

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