Investigation Review Committee Decides to Indict Reporter Dongjae Lee and Discontinue Investigation with No Indictment for Prosecutor General Donghoon Han... Denies 'Collusion Relationship' (Comprehensive)

Former Channel A reporter Dongjae Lee (left) and Prosecutor General Donghoon Han.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] On the 24th, the Prosecution Investigation Deliberation Committee's Current Issues Subcommittee regarding the Channel A reporter scandal held a meeting and decided on the opinions of ‘continuing investigation and prosecution’ for former Channel A reporter Lee Dong-jae, and ‘suspending investigation and non-prosecution’ for Chief Prosecutor Han Dong-hoon.

As an overwhelming majority of the committee members expressed negative opinions regarding Chief Prosecutor Han’s alleged collusion, which was the most anticipated issue, it is expected that the prosecution investigation will inevitably face setbacks.

At the Current Issues Subcommittee meeting held from 2 p.m. at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-dong, Seoul, the members listened sequentially to the opinions of former VIK CEO Lee Cheol’s side, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office investigation team, former reporter Lee, and Chief Prosecutor Han, and after discussion, reached this conclusion.

According to the investigation deliberation committee, in the vote conducted with all 15 members of the Current Issues Subcommittee present except Chairman Yang Chang-soo, 12 members expressed opinions to continue the investigation on former reporter Lee, and 9 members supported prosecution.

On the other hand, regarding Chief Prosecutor Han, 10 members expressed opinions to suspend the investigation, and 11 members supported non-prosecution, the committee reported.

The committee added, “Considering the public’s right to know about this case and the seriousness of the matter comprehensively, it was decided to disclose the content of the resolution.”

Regarding the committee’s result, former reporter Lee stated in a press release, “Although there are some regrets, I respect the decision of the Prosecution Investigation Deliberation Committee and will carefully determine whether the charge of attempted coercion is established in future investigations and trials.”

Lee emphasized, “The allegation that I colluded with high-ranking prosecution officials is completely untrue, and there was no collusion between the prosecution and the media.”

He continued, “I apologize for causing social controversy due to my journalistic zeal,” and added, “I will sincerely participate in future investigations and trials.”

Chief Prosecutor Han’s lawyer expressed gratitude for “the committee’s wise decision.”

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office stated, “Considering that we have not yet started forensic analysis on the mobile phone seized from Chief Prosecutor Han nor completed even one interrogation of the suspect, despite expressing the opinion to ‘continue the investigation,’ it is difficult to accept the committee’s decision today to suspend the investigation and recommend non-prosecution. The investigation team will comprehensively consider the investigation contents so far, the court’s issuance of an arrest warrant for reporter Lee Dong-jae, and the committee’s opinions to decide the future direction of the investigation and handling.”

On the afternoon of the 24th, when the Prosecution Investigation Deliberation Committee's Standing Committee on the 'Geomeon Yuchak' case was held, reporters gathered in front of the main entrance of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-dong, Seoul, waiting for the committee members to attend the meeting. Photo by Choi Seok-jin

On March 31, MBC reported that a Channel A reporter flaunted his friendship with Chief Prosecutor Han Dong-hoon, a close aide to Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, and threatened former CEO Lee to provide information on corruption related to Rho Moo-hyun Foundation Chairman Yoo Si-min.

Subsequently, a complaint was filed by civic groups, and the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office Criminal Division 1 (Chief Prosecutor Jung Jin-woong) began an investigation. However, when the investigation team tried to request an arrest warrant for former reporter Lee, Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl decided to convene a professional investigation advisory panel, putting a brake on the process. This led to a conflict between Seoul Central District Prosecutor Lee Sung-yoon, who demanded the suspension of the advisory panel and independent investigation by the Central District Prosecutors' Office, and Prosecutor General Yoon.

Eventually, Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae issued an investigative directive ordering Prosecutor General Yoon to step back from this case, temporarily settling the situation. However, the friction between Prosecutor General Yoon, who holds the position that applying the charge of attempted coercion to former reporter Lee and Chief Prosecutor Han is difficult, and Prosecutor Lee, who intends to prosecute both, did not disappear.

Amid this ongoing uneasy relationship between the two, the weekly face-to-face briefing by Prosecutor Lee to Prosecutor General Yoon, held every Wednesday, was replaced by written reports for four consecutive weeks. This situation even led to a delay in reaching a final conclusion for over a month after the investigation deliberation committee recommended ‘non-prosecution’ for Samsung-related figures including Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong of Samsung Electronics.

Meanwhile, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office investigation team, guaranteed an independent investigation free from Prosecutor General Yoon’s command by Minister Choo, secured evidence such as the mobile phones of former reporter Lee and Chief Prosecutor Han and recordings of their conversations through search and seizure. They requested an arrest warrant for former reporter Lee and succeeded in securing his custody on the 17th.

With former reporter Lee’s arrest accelerating the investigation, there were expectations that the prosecution would also consider requesting an arrest warrant for Chief Prosecutor Han. However, on the 18th, KBS issued a major false report related to the recordings of conversations between the two, reversing the situation.

In other words, even in the full transcript of the recordings released by former reporter Lee’s side to refute KBS’s report, no clear statements supporting the fact that the two colluded were confirmed. This raised doubts about what additional evidence the prosecution holds beyond the disclosed recordings and whether it is possible to prove the collusion relationship.

Chief Prosecutor Han, who had previously refused to respond to the prosecution’s summons, appeared for questioning on the 21st.

According to related guidelines, the lead prosecutor should respect the deliberation committee’s opinions, but the prosecution is not legally bound to the committee’s decisions.

However, as the committee decided only to recommend prosecution for former reporter Lee and judged it difficult to recognize collusion regarding Chief Prosecutor Han, issuing opinions to ‘suspend investigation’ and ‘non-prosecution,’ the prosecution had no choice but to readjust the investigation direction and schedule.

The prosecution is expected to first bring former reporter Lee to trial before the expiration of his detention period, while conducting supplementary investigations on Chief Prosecutor Han and reconsidering whether to prosecute him.

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