Prosecutors Manage 168 COVID-19 Related Crimes... Increase for Two Consecutive Days

Jeong Gyeong-sim, wife of Justice Minister Cho Kuk and a professor at Dongyang University, was summoned privately for the fifth time by the prosecution on the 14th for investigation. The photo was taken at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the same day. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] Cases related to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) managed by the prosecution are steadily increasing.

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office announced on the 6th that as of 9 a.m., there are a total of 168 COVID-19-related cases under prosecution management. This is an increase of 31 cases from 137 the previous day, and 55 more than 113 cases two days ago.

Specifically, there are 18 cases under investigation, 139 cases under police supervision, 9 cases prosecuted (3 detained prosecutions), and 2 cases not prosecuted.

By charge, there are ▲82 cases of mask payment fraud (fraud) ▲35 cases of hoarding health supplies, etc. (violation of the Price Stabilization Act) ▲31 cases of spreading false information (obstruction of business, etc.) ▲12 cases of leaking information on confirmed patients or suspects (breach of official secrets, etc.) ▲8 cases of false reporting of contact with confirmed patients and false statements or refusal of quarantine during epidemiological investigations (obstruction of official duties by deception, etc.).

The hoarding of health supplies such as masks increased by 8 cases in one day from 27 cases the previous day. This type of crime showed an increasing trend for two consecutive days, rising by 8 cases from 19 cases the previous day as well. Mask payment fraud cases also increased by 7 cases from 65 the previous day.

Meanwhile, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office's "Task Force for Investigating Distribution Disruption Offenses of Masks and Health Supplies" (led by Jeon Jun-cheol, Head of the Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 2) sent prosecutors and investigators to conduct raids on about 10 health supply companies in the metropolitan area that hoarded masks amid the spread of COVID-19, securing production and transaction records of masks and other items.

The prosecution reportedly detected signs that these companies hoarded masks in violation of the Price Stabilization Act and launched a forced investigation. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office task force directly conducted forced investigations such as raids based on intelligence for the first time. During the raid, the prosecution plans not to seize masks that were legally produced and have no quality issues, allowing them to be distributed normally.

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