The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials(CIO) raided locations linked to Marine Corps Commandant Lt. Gen. Kim Kye-hwan over alleged influence-peddling in an investigation into the death of a Marine during a heavy rain search and rescue operation last year.

The CIO on Thursday began the search and seizure at the offices of the Marine Corps headquarters in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province to obtain evidence.

The investigation office suspects that Kim had ordered Col. Park Jung-hun, who had led the Marines' investigation into the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun to defer and to suspend the transfer of probe findings to the police.

Kim, who had initially stated there were no issues with the investigation led by Park, claimed he had disobeyed his orders after allegations of influence-peddling began to emerge.

Last October, Park was indicted on charges of insubordination and defamation of his superior after he handed over the probe findings to the police despite then-defense minister Lee Jong-sup's orders to the Marine Corps' top commander to hold it off.

The investigation team under Park had applied gross negligence causing death and other charges to senior officials, including Lim Seong-geun, commander of the Marine Corps' First Division.