President Yoon in Cheonan hat amid rumors of 'VIP’s outrage'

President Yoon Suk Yeol often wears a Cheonan hat with the inscription ‘ROK NAVY/PCC-772’ on it when he goes for a walk. He wore it in Seocho-dong before declaring his candidacy for the presidential election in June 2021, and during his overseas tours in Paris, France, Vilnius, Lithuania, and London, England after his election. During his summer vacation last year, he also wore a Cheonan hat and T-shirt to encourage soldiers at Jinhae Naval Base.

Raising the level of honor for national heroes and enhancing respect for uniformed officials, such as soldiers and police, who serve the country, has been a hallmark of President Yoon's administration. Last year, Yoon upgraded the National Veterans Affairs Agency, which had been struggling depending on the direction of various administrations, to the Ministry of National Veterans Affairs. To fulfill his presidential campaign pledge to raise soldiers’ monthly salary to 2 million won (approximately 1,450 U.S. dollars), Yoon has dramatically increased the actual salary of soldiers. On Memorial Day last year, he emphasized, "It is the responsibility of the nation to remember and honor uniformed heroes, including soldiers, police officers, and firefighters, who have sacrificed everything to protect the country's security and the safety of the people.” Before and after his election, he was seen as a consistent president.

However, President Yoon's emphasis on veterans' affairs, symbolized by his wearing a Cheonan hat, seems to have waned. The “Corp. Chae Independent Council Act,” which Yoon vetoed, and the rumor of so-called "VIP outrage” surrounding him seem to be weakening Yoon's presidential identity as a President who honors uniformed officials.

Corp. Chae tragically passed away on July 19 last year while providing public support for the recovery from flash floods in Yecheon County, North Gyeongsang Province. At the time, President Yoon ordered that Chae “be given the highest honors as a national hero.” Col. Park Jung-hoon, the former head of the Marine Corps’ investigation team that investigated the case, claims that he was under external pressure during his investigation.

The dates of the calls between President Yoon and former Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop, at the center of the investigation, were August 2 and 8 last year. It was during Yoon's summer vacation period. During his summer vacation, Yoon allegedly told his staff, “It's (practically) a jamboree vacation,” and laughed aimlessly. After the Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree was marred by controversy over poor preparations, Yoon ordered his administration to address the fiasco even by mobilizing military and police forces. On his way back to Seoul from his vacation site on Jeo-do Island, Yon considered visiting the jamboree site once more, but he had a high fever, reaching 39 degrees Celsius, and thus was unable to do so. Yoon’s presential secretaries also referred to the call between Yoon and Lee as his ‘call to instruct the military to assist the public for the jamboree event.’

The presidential office has remained tight-lipped, saying it could be misunderstood as giving guidelines for the investigation by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials. In the meantime, various news reports have emerged, raising further suspicions. A senior official in the ruling party, who has been frustrated by the situation, said, “It's absurd for Colonel Park, who is not a lawyer and has no authority to investigate, to talk about external pressure,” adding, “And whoever Colonel Park picked as a suspect in the first place, it would not have been naturally accepted by the police.” Another official in the ruling party said, “It would have been easier for the President to punish the Marine Corps’ division commander and officers under his command.” He thus indicated that as a lawyer by training, President Yoon's judgment would have been consistent: those who are criminally responsible should be held accountable.

Once the outcome of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials’ investigation is made public, President Yoon will have to explain it to the public himself. As a President who tries to remember and honor uniformed officials all the time, it would be his very nature to be honest with the public about his judgment on Colonel Park's investigation and his phone call with former Minister Lee, and to seek understanding from the public.