Prosecutors Conclude Search of Jeongui Gieok Yeondae Office After 12 Hours

On the 21st, prosecutors were moving seized items at the Justice Memory Solidarity office in Mapo-gu. The prosecutors conducted a search and seizure of Justice Memory Solidarity in connection with allegations of poor accounting and the high-priced purchase of the Anseong shelter.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] The prosecution completed a 12-hour search and seizure operation on Justice and Memory Solidarity (Jeonguiyeondae), which is suspected of mismanaging and embezzling donation funds.

The Criminal Division 4 of the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Choi Ji-seok) finished the search and seizure at Jeonguiyeondae's office located in Seongsan-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, at around 5:30 a.m. on the 22nd. The operation started at around 5 p.m. on the previous day (21st), lasting 12 hours.

Previously, civic groups such as the Action Alliance for the Restoration of the Rule of Law, the Judicial Examination Preparation Group, and Active Free Citizens reported Jeonguiyeondae and elected representative Yoon Mi-hyang (former director of Jeonguiyeondae) to the prosecution for embezzlement of donations and suspicions of overpriced purchase of the 'Anseong Shelter' in Gyeonggi Province. More than 10 complaints have been filed against Yoon and Jeonguiyeondae officials.

The complaints alleging that Yoon Mi-hyang did not use the donations received by Jeonguiyeondae for the victims have been assigned to the Criminal Division 4 (Fair Trade and Economic Crime Unit) of the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office since the 14th. The case involving suspicions of purchasing the shelter for comfort women at an inflated price and then selling it at a low price has also been entrusted to the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office.

The suspicions surrounding Yoon and Jeonguiyeondae arose on the 7th when comfort women victim Grandma Lee Yong-soo (92) held a press conference alleging the lack of transparency in the fund management of victim support organizations. Since then, civic groups have filed complaints against Jeonguiyeondae and related parties based on her testimony and media reports.

The prosecution decided to investigate the series of complaints from civic groups directly without handing them over to the police for investigation supervision. It is known that the prosecution will closely examine the use of Jeonguiyeondae's donation funds and the suspicions regarding the overpriced purchase of the shelter for comfort women.

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