'Physical Altercation Search' Jeong Jin-woong, Ultimately Indicted on Charges of Official Assault

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[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] Jeong Jin-ung, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office, who had a physical altercation with Chief Prosecutor Han Dong-hoon during a search and seizure, has ultimately been indicted on charges of official assault.

According to legal circles on the 27th, the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office has indicted Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong without detention on charges of assaulting Chief Prosecutor Han during the search and seizure process (official assault under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes).

Jeong, who served as the head of the Criminal Division 1 at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office and led the investigation team on the 'alleged collusion between prosecutors and media,' had a physical altercation while seizing the SIM card of Chief Prosecutor Han's mobile phone on July 29.

Following the incident, Chief Prosecutor Han filed a complaint against Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong for official assault and submitted a petition requesting an internal investigation. The Seoul High Prosecutors' Office, which initiated the investigation, summoned Chief Prosecutor Han for a comprehensive inquiry just one day after receiving the petition, on July 30. In contrast, Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong was summoned for questioning as a suspect two months later, just before the Chuseok holiday in September.

Official assault refers to cases where prosecutors or police officers abuse their authority during the performance of their duties to assault or inflict cruel treatment on suspects, etc. It is considered more serious than simple assault and is punishable by imprisonment of up to five years and disqualification for up to ten years.

Meanwhile, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, which investigated the 'alleged collusion between prosecutors and media,' indicted former reporter Lee on charges of attempted coercion in August. However, the indictment did not include any conspiracy with Chief Prosecutor Han. The investigation team cited Chief Prosecutor Han's lack of cooperation as a reason for not including conspiracy in the charges.

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