Im Eun-jeong: "Prosecutors Replace Investigation with Statement via Hwang Unha's SNS? Deeply Regrettable"

Lim Eun-jeong, Chief Prosecutor of Ulsan District Prosecutors' Office, appeared as a witness at the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee's audit of the National Police Agency held at the Police Agency in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of October 4 last year, responding to questions from Lee Jae-jung, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ga-yeon] As the prosecution indicted Hwang Un-ha, former chief of the Ulsan Metropolitan Police Agency, without summoning him for questioning in connection with allegations of a Blue House-ordered investigation, Im Eun-jung, head prosecutor of the Ulsan District Prosecutors' Office's Major Economic Crimes Investigation Division, criticized the prosecution, calling it "an investigative behavior that disregards the value of the suspect interrogation process, the suspect interrogation records, and the seriousness of indictment."

On the 30th, Im posted on her Facebook, "According to some articles, the prosecution decided to replace the investigation of this critical case with Hwang Un-ha, director of the Police Human Resources Development Institute, stating his position via SNS. If this is true, I cannot help but feel dismayed," she said.

She stated, "The indictment facts of Director Hwang, distributed by the Central District Prosecutors' Office, are twofold," and explained, "Last June, I requested investigations and inspections related to the 'intensively managed prosecutors' suspected to be on a prosecutor blacklist' to the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, but was ignored. During last year's National Assembly audit, Representative Lee Cheol-hee disclosed the 'Guidelines for Selection and Management of Intensively Managed Prosecutors.'"

She continued, "Based on this, I have again requested the Ministry of Justice to conduct an inspection regarding the prosecutor blacklist," adding, "Director Hwang will have to fiercely contend with the prosecution on the facts and legal grounds."

Im made an "immodest request" to Director Hwang, who is facing a grueling legal battle, saying, "Please share the indictment and materials related to the prosecution's claims in court."

She explained, "Regardless of the truth of the facts, the prosecution's argument on the abuse of authority could be seen as an attack on the prosecution concerning the prosecutor blacklist. If submitted as reference material to the Ministry of Justice, which is reviewing the inspection of the prosecutor blacklist, it may help in the punishment and discipline of the prosecutors involved in the blacklist, and it would be good to attach it when submitting a complaint to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials later."

She added, "I will strive to repay Director Hwang by severely punishing the shameless and brazen prosecutors and restoring judicial justice," and said, "I may contact Director Hwang discreetly, but since the shared materials will eventually be submitted to the Ministry of Justice and others and the prosecution will find out, I ask this publicly to avoid any rumors."

Meanwhile, the Public Investigation Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (led by Chief Prosecutor Kim Tae-eun), investigating allegations of ordered investigations and election interference, indicted 13 people, including former chief Hwang and Ulsan Mayor Song Cheol-ho, without detention on the 29th.

However, controversy arose over the indictment of former chief Hwang without a summons for questioning by the prosecution. The prosecution explained that it was possible to prove Hwang's charges based on testimonies from related parties and that he had expressed his position through the media.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.