Police Launch Investigation into Rep. Joo Kwang-deok's Defamation Case Against Lee Sung-yoon, Seoul Central District Prosecutor General

Assignment to Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Intelligent Crime Investigation Unit

Joo Kwang-deok, a member of the Liberty Korea Party, is holding a press conference on December 12 at the National Assembly's Jeongron Hall in Yeouido, Seoul, regarding high-level personnel appointments in the Ministry of Justice's prosecution. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] The police have launched an investigation into a case in which a civic group accused Representative Joo Gwang-deok of the Liberty Korea Party of defaming Lee Seong-yoon, the Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office.

According to the police on the 22nd, the National Police Agency has assigned the case of Representative Joo's accusation to the Intelligent Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

Representative Joo claimed on the 12th of this month that Chief Prosecutor Lee sent text messages containing ridicule and harsh language to an executive who was demoted following recent personnel changes in the prosecution. Lee, who was the Director of the Prosecutor's Office at the Ministry of Justice, moved to the position of Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in this personnel reshuffle.

In relation to this, the civic group 'Jeokpae Cheongsan Gukmin Chamyeo Yeondae' (Anti-Corruption National Participation Solidarity) filed a complaint with the police on the 15th, accusing Representative Joo of defaming Chief Prosecutor Lee with malicious intent.

The Ministry of Justice has refuted Representative Joo's claims, stating that "there is no fact that the Director of the Prosecutor's Office sent text messages containing 'provocations or harsh words close to verbal abuse' to several executives before or after the personnel changes."

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