Former Marine commander appeals prison term over corporal's 2023 death

A former Marine commander has appealed a three-year sentence recently upheld by an appellate court over the death of a young Marine during a search mission for heavy rain victims in 2023, sources said Tuesday.

Lim Seong-geun, a retired two-star general and former head of the 1st Marine Division, submitted the appeal to the Seoul High Court earlier in the day, according to legal sources.

The move comes four days after the appellate court upheld the lower court's ruling of a three-year sentence against Lim over the death of 20-year-old Cpl. Chae Su-geun in a swollen stream during the operation in Yecheon, some 160 kilometers (100 miles) southeast of Seoul, in July 2023.

A special counsel team had earlier sought a five-year sentence for Lim.

On Friday, the appeals court recognized how Lim had failed to follow through on his duty to protect the safety of the Marines, finding him guilty of occupational negligence resulting in death.

Other defendants in the case, including former 7th Marine Brigade leader Park Sang-hyun, who oversaw field operations at the scene, are also appealing their one-and-a-half-year sentences.

Yonhap