Will the Mystery of 'Samhwa Food Investigation' Be Solved?… National Police Agency, Daegu Police Department Investigation Chief Launches 'Full-Scale Investigation'

Suspected 'Fermented Sauce Recycling' Case with Weak Evidence in February
Amid Controversy over 'Planned and Biased Investigation'... Investigation Motive 'Unclear'

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Dong-wook] Regarding the controversy over the 'planned investigation' into Samhwa Food, a Daegu-based fermented sauce specialty company caught up in the 'insider whistleblower fabrication' case, the head of the Daegu Metropolitan Police Agency's investigation unit has been identified as a suspect by the National Police Agency headquarters and is now under investigation.

According to the Daegu Police Agency on the 3rd, the Inspection Officer's Office of the National Police Agency has requested an investigation from the headquarters investigation division into the Daegu Police Agency's investigation chief (Senior Superintendent), who is suspected of leaking official corruption. Earlier, Samhwa Food submitted a petition to the Board of Audit and Inspection in mid-June requesting an investigation into the police officer's corruption, and the Board of Audit and Inspection referred the matter to the National Police Agency.

Regarding this, a representative from the Inspection Officer's Office of the National Police Agency stated, "Since Samhwa Food requested an investigation, the matter was forwarded to the investigation division through the civil complaints office," adding, "We do not know the details of the case."

Separately, Samhwa Food has also filed a complaint with the Daegu District Prosecutors' Office against four investigation officials, including the Daegu Police Agency's investigation chief, on charges of leaking official secrets.

Meanwhile, the Daegu Police Agency forwarded the case to the prosecution in June with a recommendation for indictment on charges of violating the Food Sanitation Act, related to Samhwa Food's 'return recycling suspicion' that surfaced in February. However, from the outset, the investigation began under unclear circumstances regarding who filed the complaint or whistleblowing, raising suspicions of 'biased investigation' and 'planned investigation.'

Separately, on June 11, the Major Crimes Investigation Division of the National Police Agency conducted a search and seizure of the Daegu Police Agency and Seongseo Police Station investigation officers related to the Samhwa Food investigation, confiscating mobile phones and other items, but has yet to present any significant investigation results.

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