Prosecutors Deeply Considering 'Geom-eon Yuchak' Investigation, May Reapply for MBC Warrant

Investigation Continues During Golden Holiday... Speeding Up the Probe

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, where the so-called 'geom-eon-yuchak' (collusion between prosecutors and media) allegations are under investigation. / Yonhap [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] The prosecution is facing deep concerns over identifying the 'unnamed chief prosecutor' mentioned in the 'collusion between prosecutors and media' audio recordings and the reapplication for a search warrant for MBC.

The former could turn into a blow against the prosecution itself, while the latter involves different allegations compared to Channel A, which has already undergone a search.

According to the prosecution on the 4th, the Criminal Division 1 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Jeong Jin-ung), which is investigating this case, is conducting analysis of the seized items obtained from recent searches of Channel A and others, along with summoning and questioning related individuals.

Following the summoning and questioning on the 1st of Lee Cheol, former CEO of Value Invest Korea (VIK) (55, currently detained), a key figure in the case, at the detention center, multiple witnesses have also been summoned and questioned. The prosecution is maintaining strict confidentiality regarding the identities of those summoned, but it appears that summons for key related parties are imminent.

The prosecution's immediate concern is whether to reapply for a search warrant for MBC, which was previously rejected once.

Reports have emerged that the prosecution did not include the defamation charges filed by former Deputy Prime Minister Choi Kyung-hwan related to MBC's report on the ShillaJen investment suspicion in the search warrant for MBC, but only listed MBC as a witness related to Channel A reporters' threatening reporting, sparking controversy over investigative fairness.

Some media outlets pointed out problems with the warrant application itself, and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl personally urged a balanced investigation into the various issues, including the Channel A and MBC complaint cases.

However, there is also considerable opposition to this. It is argued that comparing the two media outlets on the same level is unreasonable since Channel A is the party involved in threatening reporting, whereas MBC is merely a media company reporting on collusion between prosecutors and the media or abnormal reporting processes.

Of course, MBC is also a defendant accused of defamation by former Deputy Prime Minister Choi, but searches of media companies by investigative agencies related to defamation charges are extremely rare. The prosecution is carefully considering the necessity of reapplying for the warrant while observing these conflicting public opinions.

Meanwhile, determining the existence of the 'chief prosecutor,' the core figure in the collusion between prosecutors and media case, is also a concern for the prosecution.

At first glance, the prosecution's search of Channel A seems aimed at securing the audio file in which the said chief prosecutor appears. However, apart from securing the audio file, the prosecution can relatively approach the facts through investigations of the chief prosecutor, who has been identified as a close aide to Prosecutor General Yoon. This is also why some suspect the prosecution might be passive in securing the audio file and identifying the chief prosecutor's name.

However, the chief prosecutor in question has personally denied the related phone calls and stated to the media that he is not the person involved, while Channel A has not clearly stated its position on this matter. The prosecution's stance is that the person in the conversation must be 'identified' through voice analysis of the audio file and testimonies before including the individual as a subject of investigation.

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