A special counsel team investigating the death of a Marine corporal during a heavy rain search in 2023 has requested that a former division commander be placed in pretrial detention.

At a press briefing on Tuesday, assistant counselor Choung Min-young said  the detention of former Marine Corps First Division Commander Lim Seong-geun, who stands accused of occupational and gross negligence resulting in death, was necessary due to his potential to destroy evidence and the gravity of his charges.

Prosecutors say Lim initiated a search operation in Yecheon, North Gyeongsang Province, without providing life jackets and other safety gear on July 19, 2023, during which a Marine corporal was swept away by currents.

An initial Marine inquest named Lim as one of eight suspects in the case, but the team said his name was removed from the list after the military's findings made former President Yoon Suk Yeol angry on July 31 of the same year.

The special counsel team said it has identified new information regarding the charges against Lim after on-site inspections and questioning approximately 80 commanders and personnel.

The team also seeks to detain Choi Jin-kyu, former commander of the Eleventh Maritime Artillery Battalion under the First Division.