Prosecutors Summon Former Representative Lee Cheol for Investigation Over Alleged Threats from Channel A Reporter

Channel A and Others Summoned for Investigation Immediately After Search and Seizure... Prosecution Accelerates Investigation

On the 28th of last month, when the prosecution investigating the so-called 'media-prosecution collusion' suspicion began a full-scale forced investigation by raiding the headquarters of the comprehensive programming channel Channel A, reporters were waiting in front of the Dong-A Ilbo building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, where Channel A's headquarters is located. / Yonhap [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] The prosecution, investigating the cases related to the alleged "media-prosecutor collusion" involving a Channel A reporter and a sitting chief prosecutor, summoned and questioned Lee Cheol, former CEO of Value Invest Korea (VIK) (55, currently incarcerated), who was identified as a victim of threatening reporting by the reporter, on the 1st.

According to a report by MBC at the end of March, Lee was threatened by Channel A reporter Lee Mo, who warned that if he did not cooperate with the prosecution's investigation, his family members could also face legal action. He was also coerced to provide information about the misconduct of Yoo Si-min, chairman of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation.

Amid controversy over the "fairness of the investigation" surrounding the request for search warrants on Channel A and MBC, the prosecution immediately began summoning related parties for questioning, accelerating the investigation.

The Criminal Division 1 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Jeong Jin-ung) summoned Lee, who is incarcerated at Seoul Southern Detention Center, as a witness from 10 a.m. that day and questioned him about the circumstances under which he responded to reporter Lee's inquiries through his proxy, Mr. Ji (55), after receiving letters from the reporter.

Reporter Lee sent four letters to Lee between February and March and met Mr. Ji three times, asking about the relationship between ShillaJen, where Lee was a major shareholder, and Chairman Yoo.

During this process, reporter Lee was reported to have boasted of his close ties with a chief prosecutor close to Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl and mentioned the possibility of investigations into Lee's family, threatening Lee to "report Yoo's corruption allegations." He is currently under prosecution for these allegations.

Meanwhile, Lee and Mr. Ji are known as the sources who reported former Deputy Prime Minister for Economy Choi Kyung-hwan's alleged investment in ShillaJen, as reported by MBC, and have been sued for defamation by Choi's side.

The prosecution is also known to have confirmed the circumstances of the report with Lee regarding the defamation case in which he was sued.

Currently, at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, investigations are simultaneously underway not only into the case where a civic group filed complaints against Channel A reporter Lee and an unnamed prosecutor related to the MBC report, but also into cases where former Deputy Prime Minister Choi sued MBC personnel and where Choi Kang-wook, a proportional representative elected member of the Open Democratic Party, was sued for defamation of a Channel A reporter via Facebook.

Earlier, on the morning of the 28th of last month, the prosecution conducted search and seizure operations at five locations, including Channel A headquarters inside the Dong-A Ilbo building in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, and the home of reporter Lee Mo.

At Channel A headquarters, affiliated reporters formed a scrum and resisted entry, leading to a standoff lasting two nights and three days, after which some materials were eventually submitted and the prosecution withdrew.

After receiving reports on the request and execution of search warrants on Channel A and MBC on the 29th of last month, Prosecutor General Yoon instructed the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, saying, "I once again emphasize the need to investigate all issues thoroughly and fairly," and urged, "Please be especially careful not to lose proportionality and fairness, so as not to face criticism."

The prosecution is expected to continue analyzing seized materials and summoning related parties for questioning during the holiday period.

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