The special counsel team investigating an alleged cover-up of a 2023 death of a Marine revealed on Friday that it has obtained a secure phone that was used by former first lady Kim Keon-hee.

Assistant special counsel Choung Min-young explained during a briefing that the team secured the phone used by Kim along with communication records from the Presidential Security Service the previous day.

The phone was obtained in a search and seizure that was carried out last month as part of an investigation into suspected government interference in the initial probe into the death of the Marine, which also involved suspicions that former President Yoon Suk Yeol exerted pressure on the probe to cover up details surrounding the incident.

Choung said that they plan to hand the phone and records over to the special counsel team investigating Kim on various allegations, including election meddling.

The items will be provided to special counsel Min Joong-ki's team in the form of an arbitrary submission.

The members of the two special counsel teams were expected to meet later Friday to discuss the specific submission method for Kim's phone.