Special Prosecutor Lee Myeong-hyeon, who is investigating the Yoon Suk Yeol administration's alleged intervention in a military inquest into the 2023 death of a Marine corporal during a heavy rain search operation, filed for the pretrial detention of a former Marine Corps chief.

Lee's team told reporters Friday it had requested that the Seoul Central District Court grant a pretrial warrant to detain former Marine Corps Commandant Kim Kye-hwan on charges of perjury with an intent to harm, in violation of the Act on Testimony and Appraisal before the National Assembly.

This is the first warrant request since the launch of the special counsel team.

The team said Kim, while serving as head of the Marine Corps at the time of the death of the Marine corporal, gave orders to the Marine chief investigator, Col. Park Jung-hun, regarding the potential transfer of files from the military inquest to civilian police.

The transfer of files allegedly enraged former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who recommended that eight officials be charged with occupational negligence resulting in death.

The team suspects that Kim falsely denied having told Park about Yoon's alleged angry response during Park's military trial on insubordination charges for disobeying that order in February 2024, as well as at in testimonies at the National Assembly.