Daegum Expresses Will to Lead Prosecutor-Media Collusion Investigation Team... "Difficult to Guarantee Independence"

Yoon Seok-yeol, Prosecutor General [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] The Supreme Prosecutors' Office has effectively rejected the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office investigation team's request to halt the convening process of the expert investigation advisory panel and to guarantee the independence of the investigation into the so-called 'prosecutor-media collusion' allegations. It indicated its intention to direct the investigation from the Supreme Prosecutors' Office like other investigations.

On the 30th, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office sent a text message to the press corps stating, "If the investigation team intends to request an arrest warrant, they must at least persuade the commanding department, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, regarding the legal establishment of the crime and the proof of the charges," adding, "It is difficult to accept the demand for guaranteeing investigation independence without persuading the commanding department about the charges."

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office further explained, "Due to the special nature of the crime structure in this case, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office has issued supplementary directives several times and tried to verify the facts of the warrant crime, but the investigation team did not comply, leading the Prosecutor General to refer the matter to the expert investigation advisory panel." This implies a refusal of the investigation team's request made that day to "grant independence equivalent to that of a special prosecutor."

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office criticized, "Requesting independence equivalent to a special prosecutor without even persuading us about the establishment of the crime is a claim that abandons the basic principle that investigations proceed under the command and approval of a higher authority." It also added, "If the investigation team is confident in the legal establishment of the crime and proof of the charges against the suspect, it is only natural to participate in the advisory panel and present reasonable opinions." This means they should follow the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's direction.

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