The Supreme Court has upheld a three-year prison sentence for former Marine Corps 1st Division commander Lim Seong-geun over the death of Corporal Chae Su-geun during a flood search in Yecheon, North Gyeongsang Province, in July 2023. The court found that Lim issued specific search instructions at the site and failed to meet the duty of care required during the operation, while soldiers lacked necessary safety equipment such as life jackets.
The convictions of former 7th Brigade commander Park Sang-hyeon and former Artillery Battalion commander Choi Jin-gyu were also finalized, with each receiving 18 months in prison, while former company commander Jang received eight months suspended for two years. The ruling followed 1,196 days of proceedings and closes the criminal appeals described in the supplied report, while the special prosecutor criticized the delay in determining responsibility.