Today, Lee Jae-yong's 'Propofol' Allegation Review Committee to Convene... Deciding Whether to Refer to Prosecutor Investigation Deliberation Committee

Lee Jae-yong, Vice Chairman of Samsung Electronics. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] The Subcommittee on Referral will convene on the 11th to decide whether to refer the case concerning Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong's alleged illegal administration of propofol to the Prosecutorial Investigation Deliberation Committee.

The Prosecutorial Investigation Deliberation Committee is a system designed to review the investigation process and evaluate the legality of investigation results in cases that have raised public suspicion or attracted social attention. It deliberates on whether to continue the investigation, whether to prosecute, and whether to request an arrest warrant, and then makes recommendations to the prosecution.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office Citizens' Committee will hold the Subcommittee on Referral on the same day to review the request for convening the Prosecutorial Investigation Deliberation Committee submitted by Vice Chairman Lee's side.

Article 7, Paragraph 1 of the Operational Guidelines for the Prosecutorial Investigation Deliberation Committee, a regulation of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, stipulates that the chairperson of the relevant Prosecutors' Office Citizens' Committee, upon receiving a request to convene the Prosecutorial Investigation Deliberation Committee from complainants, suspects, or other parties related to the case under Article 6 of the same law, shall randomly select 15 citizens' committee members under the High Prosecutors' Office to form the Subcommittee on Referral to deliberate on whether to refer the case to the Prosecutorial Investigation Deliberation Committee.

The lead prosecutor who investigated the case and Vice Chairman Lee's side, which requested the committee's convening, may submit written opinions of up to 30 pages of A4 paper to the Subcommittee on Referral on the day, but oral statements are not allowed.

The Subcommittee on Referral is chaired by the chairperson of the relevant Prosecutors' Office Citizens' Committee and convenes with the attendance of at least 10 members. Based on the submitted written opinions, the deliberation proceeds in a closed session, and the decision on whether to refer the case to the Prosecutorial Investigation Deliberation Committee is made by a majority vote of the attending Subcommittee members.

Earlier this year, Vice Chairman Lee's side requested the convening of the Prosecutorial Investigation Deliberation Committee regarding this case.

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission received a public interest report in January last year alleging that Vice Chairman Lee had habitually administered propofol at a plastic surgery clinic and referred the matter to the prosecution for investigation.

Vice Chairman Lee's side stated, "He received treatment in the past at a hospital based on the professional opinion of a doctor, and although he had to receive home visits due to personal circumstances later, the illegal administration is not true."

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