Channel A Reporter Lee Mo Appears at Prosecutors' Office... Likely to Participate in Mobile Phone Forensics

On the morning of the 7th of last month, representatives from the Citizens' Coalition for Democratic Media, who came to submit a complaint against Channel A reporter Lee Dong-jae and an unnamed prosecutor related to the 'collusion between prosecutors and media' reported by MBC at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-dong, Seoul, are responding to questions from the press. Photo by Kim Hyung-min

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] Channel A reporter Lee, involved in the ‘media-prosecutor collusion’ suspicion with a sitting chief prosecutor, appeared at the prosecution on the 11th to participate in procedures related to seized items.

It appears to be to participate in digital forensic (evidence analysis) work on the seized mobile phones and laptops during the prosecution’s search and seizure on the 28th of last month.

On this day, a Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office official stated, “Today, Channel A reporter Lee appeared not for summons interrogation but to participate in procedures related to seized items.”

The Criminal Division 1 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office (Chief Prosecutor Jeong Jin-ung), investigating the case, conducted search and seizure at five locations including Channel A headquarters in Jongno-gu, Seoul, and reporter Lee’s residence on the 28th of last month.

Among them, the search and seizure of Channel A’s office ended at around 2:50 a.m. on the 29th, 41 hours after the start, after a standoff with affiliated reporters blocking entry continued for two days and only some materials were voluntarily submitted.

Reporter Lee is accused of threatening former Value Invest Korea (VIK) CEO Lee Cheol, who is imprisoned in connection with the Shiniljen case, that if he did not cooperate with the prosecution’s investigation, his family members could also face legal action, and forcing him to report misconduct of Yoo Si-min, director of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation.

In particular, during this process, it was reported that Lee flaunted his friendship with a chief prosecutor close to Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl to the former CEO’s side and presented conversation recordings and transcripts, raising suspicions of ‘media-prosecutor collusion.’

Earlier, the civic group Democratic Media Citizens’ Coalition filed a complaint with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office on the 7th of last month, accusing Channel A reporter Lee and an unnamed prosecutor appearing in an MBC report of intimidation.

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