Ministry of Justice: "Yoon Ji-oh, Not Unaware of Whereabouts"... "Procedures for Securing Custody Under Judicial Cooperation Underway"

On April 14 last year, actor Yoon Ji-oh expressing her feelings at the book concert for her book 'The 13th Testimony' held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] The Ministry of Justice announced that the procedure to secure the custody of actress Yoon Ji-oh, who left for Canada last April amid a prosecution investigation on charges including fraud and defamation, is currently underway in response to a request for criminal judicial cooperation.

On the 17th, a Ministry of Justice official addressed the controversy regarding the claim that “the Ministry of Justice did not know Yoon’s whereabouts,” stating, “The term ‘unknown whereabouts’ is a legal term used as one of the conditions for requesting the court to issue an arrest warrant,” and added, “The prosecution has delivered the arrest warrant issued by the court to the Canadian judicial authorities.”

He continued, “Yoon currently has an arrest warrant issued and is wanted,” and “the procedure to secure custody through the criminal judicial cooperation system with Canadian investigative authorities is in progress.”

The official added, “However, the Canadian investigative authorities need time to determine whether the charges against Yoon fall under extraditable offenses.”

Since judicial sovereignty is recognized in each country, even if Yoon’s whereabouts are identified, Korean police or prosecutors cannot directly go to Canada to arrest her; instead, the Ministry of Justice explained that they are proceeding with the procedure to receive custody through Canadian judicial authorities.

However, the issuance of an arrest warrant for Yoon due to her disappearance overseas and “unknown whereabouts” has been misunderstood as meaning that the Ministry of Justice currently does not know her location.

Yoon, who came forward as a witness in the late Jang Ja-yeon case and was later embroiled in allegations of fundraising fraud, left for Canada on April 24 last year after continuous accusations and has not returned for over a year.

She is currently facing accusations of violating the Act on the Protection of Crime Victims’ Funds and fraud related to fundraising, and is also involved in a lawsuit demanding the return of the funds.

Additionally, she was sued for defamation and insult by writer Kim Soo-min, whom she met during the writing process of her book “The 13th Testimony.”

The Criminal Division 3 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, which is investigating the case, issued a “suspension of prosecution” on May 11 due to Yoon’s overseas departure.

A prosecution official said, “The police applied for an Interpol red notice, and the prosecution has requested criminal judicial cooperation through the Ministry of Justice,” adding, “If Yoon returns to the country, she will be arrested at the airport and the investigation will proceed.”

Recently, Yoon posted on her Instagram with a photo, stating, “I am safely staying under the protection of the Canadian police with my family at home,” seemingly referring to the Ministry of Justice by adding, “They know my home address.”

On the same day, Sujin Cho, a member of the People Power Party, shared Yoon’s SNS post on her Facebook, writing, “The movie about Yoon Ji-oh: ‘Catch me if you can,’” and added, “Minister Choo Mi-ae’s Ministry of Justice, didn’t know her address? Suspended prosecution? It’s bewildering.”

In another post, Representative Cho wrote, “Yoon Ji-oh, who was said to be wanted with an arrest warrant issued because the Ministry of Justice could not locate her, has been confirmed to be in Canada. The Ministry of Justice is being mocked,” and added, “She even posted on SNS showing a birthday party at a place with a swimming pool. The Toronto CN Tower is visible, allowing one to infer the location.”

She continued, “The Ministry of Justice is responsible for the extradition of criminals fleeing abroad, but I worry that they are neglecting the escape of criminals while trying to save just one ‘minister’s son.’”

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