Prosecutors Secure Channel A Chief Prosecutor's Phone in 'Media-Prosecutor Collusion' Allegation... Chief Prosecutor Claims "I Am the Victim" and Hints at Legal Action

Channel A Headquarters. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] The prosecution investigating the ‘media-prosecution collusion’ allegations exposed by MBC reports has secured the mobile phone of a current chief prosecutor who was identified as the person who spoke with a Channel A reporter.

According to the legal community on the 17th, the Criminal Division 1 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Jeong Jin-ung) executed a search warrant on the mobile phone of Prosecutor A the day before.

The prosecution plans to analyze the mobile phone to verify whether Prosecutor A shared investigation and reporting information related to the ShillaJen case with Channel A reporter Lee (35).

Earlier, on the 14th of last month, the prosecution seized two mobile phones submitted by reporter Lee through company officials during Channel A’s internal fact-finding investigation. Additionally, after the media-prosecution collusion allegations surfaced, another mobile phone used by reporter Lee was seized on the 2nd.

The prosecution summoned reporter Lee multiple times last week as a suspect on charges of attempted coercion and conducted investigations.

On March 31, MBC reported that a Channel A legal team reporter approached Lee Cheol, the former CEO (55) of Value Invest Korea (VIK), who is imprisoned in connection with the ShillaJen case, and demanded that he provide information about the misconduct of Yoo Si-min, director of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation.

Furthermore, during this process, the reporter reportedly played a phone call with a chief prosecutor known to be a close aide of Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, flaunting their connection, which sparked controversy.

The Channel A Fact-Finding Committee stated in the report released last month that they were unable to verify the key evidence, the recorded phone call between reporter Lee and a prosecution official.

Reporter Lee is known to have testified during the fact-finding process that all the recorded phone calls with prosecution officials shown to whistleblower Ji Mo (55) regarding the media-prosecution collusion allegations were false.

The Democratic Media Citizens’ Coalition filed a complaint with the prosecution in early April against reporter Lee and an ‘unnamed prosecutor’ on charges of intimidation.

Meanwhile, Prosecutor A issued a statement titled ‘Position on the Investigation Related to Channel A Reporter’ in the afternoon, completely denying the related allegations.

Prosecutor A stated, “I have neither made the statements mentioned in the recorded conversations between the reporter and the so-called whistleblower nor been involved in the reporting. Moreover, I have never connected the reporter with the ShillaJen investigation team in any form, nor have I been involved in the investigation.”

He added, “Even according to the recent investigation results, it is clear that the ShillaJen investigation team never planned to investigate Lee’s lobbying activities, nor did they conduct such an investigation from the beginning.”

He claimed, “Considering the media reports, the full transcript of the recordings, and various circumstances, it appears that the reporter, who was lured by a premeditated plan using the nonexistent ‘five ruling and opposition party members’ lobbying ledger’ as bait, impersonated my name, and I am the victim.”

Prosecutor A expressed his grievance, saying, “No prosecutor pressures a reporter to ‘sell me to the detainee’ to coerce information. The idea that this was considered a ‘lifeline’ to revive corruption investigations into current government officials at key positions in the Seoul prosecution office is against common sense.”

He also expressed dissatisfaction with the prosecution’s search, stating, “I deeply question the legitimacy of the forced investigation, including the seizure of my mobile phone by the Central District Prosecutors' Office investigation team.”

Finally, Prosecutor A said, “As a public official, I have not made any legal responses or statements until now, but from now on, I must firmly respond to defamatory and illegal acts raised against me without objective grounds,” and urged, “I hope the truth will be uncovered through an impartial and fair investigation.”

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