Supreme Prosecutors' Office Human Rights Policy Division Launches Investigation into Legality of 'Inspection Department Search and Seizure'

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] The Human Rights Policy Office of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office has launched an investigation into whether there were any illegalities during the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Inspection Department's search and seizure of the Investigation Information Division of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office.

On the 2nd, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office announced that a petition containing objections regarding the investigation procedures and claims of human rights violations related to the recent search and seizure was submitted, and in accordance with regulations and procedures, the petition was assigned to the Human Rights Policy Office, the human rights protector of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office.

On the 25th, the Inspection Department of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office conducted a search and seizure of the Investigation Information Policy Division of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in connection with the suspicion of 'court surveillance,' which Minister of Justice Chu Mi-ae mentioned as one of the reasons for suspending Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol's duties. During this process, allegations arose that a researcher belonging to the Inspection Department who executed the warrant communicated with Shim Jae-cheol, Director of the Prosecutor's Office at the Ministry of Justice, and Park Eun-jung, the Ministry of Justice's Inspection Officer, suggesting that the Ministry of Justice effectively directed the investigation.

In response, the Inspection Department of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office explained, "After receiving and reviewing investigative reference materials from the Ministry of Justice, we judged that it was necessary to promptly secure materials related to the criminal suspicion and obtained and executed a search warrant."

The Human Rights Policy Office of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office can investigate matters related to human rights violations that occur during investigations. If procedural violations or human rights infringements are found during the investigation, they may request investigations from local prosecutors' offices.

A Supreme Prosecutors' Office official explained, "In the future, the Human Rights Policy Office will proceed with fact-finding centered on the Human Rights Supervision Officer according to the usual procedures."

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