Prosecutors Indict Yoon Prosecutor General's Mother-in-Law Without Detention for 'Nursing Hospital Fraud'... Prosecutor General and Wife Not Indicted

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] The prosecution has indicted Choi, the mother-in-law of Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, who is suspected of fraudulent claims at a nursing hospital.

On the 24th, the Criminal Division 6 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Park Soon-bae) indicted Choi without detention on charges of violating the Medical Service Act and fraud under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes.

The prosecution believes that Choi, in collusion with business partners, established a medical foundation in November 2012 despite lacking qualifications to open a medical institution, and was involved in the establishment and operation of a nursing hospital located in Paju-si, Gyeonggi Province in February 2013, embezzling nursing care benefits worth approximately 2.29 billion won from May 2013 to May 2015.

In this case, three business partners were prosecuted for violating the Medical Service Act and fraud and were found guilty. However, Choi, who was a co-chairperson, was not booked because she resigned from the chairperson position in May 2014 and received a "letter of exemption from responsibility" stating that she would not be held accountable for hospital operations.

However, in April, Choi and others, including Choi Kang-wook, leader of the Open Democratic Party, raised suspicions that "Prosecutor General Yoon was involved in the prosecution's decision not to indict at the time" and filed a complaint against Yoon and Choi. Subsequently, Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae exercised her authority to direct the investigation last month, excluding Prosecutor General Yoon from directing the investigation and ordering reinforcement of the investigation team.

However, the prosecution decided not to indict regarding the fraud-related complaints against Choi and the complaints about forgery of private documents against Yoon's spouse. Prosecutor General Yoon, who was also jointly accused of abuse of authority and obstruction of exercise of rights, was dismissed. Earlier in February, a businessman filed a complaint accusing Prosecutor General Yoon of abuse of authority, alleging his involvement in Choi's case.

Meanwhile, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office stated that it will continue and conclude investigations into other cases involving Prosecutor General Yoon's family and close associates. The investigation team is currently probing allegations including illegal sponsorship money received by an exhibition planning company operated by Kim, suspicions that Kim was involved in stock price manipulation and preferential stock trading in the Deutsche Motors case, and bribery and case cover-up allegations involving Prosecutor General Yoon Dae-jin's elder brother.

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