[Column] Meeting between Kim Jin-wook, Chief of the Corruption Investigation Office, and Lee Sung-yoon, Chief Prosecutor

Seokjin Choi, Chief Legal Reporter

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] Kim Jin-wook, head of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), met in private on the holiday of the 7th with Lee Seong-yoon, Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office chief, who is a suspect accused of exerting external pressure in the investigation of the illegal overseas departure of Kim Hak-ui.

This fact was first revealed on the 16th when Kim responded to questions from Kim Do-eup, a member of the People Power Party, during the plenary session of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee.

The timing of the meeting, which took place immediately after the CIO received the related case from the prosecution, and the fact that it was a private meeting requested by Prosecutor Lee's side rather than an investigative inquiry, make it a highly unusual event that could raise doubts about the fairness of the investigation.

Occasionally, the head of an investigation might offer a cup of tea as a courtesy to a high-profile suspect who comes for questioning by the prosecution, but there is no recollection of a suspect meeting the head of an investigative agency in this manner through their lawyer.

Moreover, it is Prosecutor Lee's claim that the CIO proposed that he also attend the meeting at the request of his lawyer.

What was discussed between the two during the meeting remains shrouded in secrecy as the CIO did not prepare a meeting report. The related investigation report handed over to the prosecution only listed the participants and the meeting time, with no content of the discussion included.

Therefore, it is not unreasonable to suspect a connection between Kim's request on the 12th, when he re-transferred Prosecutor Lee's case to the prosecution stating, "We will decide on prosecution, so please send the case back to the CIO once the investigation is complete," and the same day when Park Beom-gye, Minister of Justice, refused to approve the extension of dispatch for two key prosecutors on the investigation team, as well as the meeting between the two on that day.

When Kim Do-eup raised these points at the National Assembly's Judiciary Committee on the 16th, Kim denied, saying, "That (meeting with Prosecutor Lee) has nothing to do with our decision," and Minister Park also reacted angrily, jumping up at Kim's remark, "It was discussed."

However, it is difficult to deny that it is unnatural to withhold prosecution rights while transferring the entire case and that removing prosecutors from an ongoing investigation team is a transparent act.

Since the resignation of former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, who acted as a shield, the Suwon District Prosecutor's Office has been virtually isolated and fully exposed to pressure from the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's Anti-Corruption Department.

Prosecutor Lee, classified as a representative pro-government prosecutor, is considered to have lost trust within the prosecution but is still regarded as the top candidate for the next Prosecutor General.

If there is a genuine intention to appoint him as Prosecutor General, the logical course would be to allow a prompt prosecution investigation to clear him of charges rather than having the CIO, whose neutrality is questioned in this case, intervene or remove prosecutors to obstruct the investigation.

Kim cited the prosecution's tendency to protect their own as the reason why the CIO should investigate or prosecute prosecutors, but this does not apply to the current case.

The current reality is that the prosecution is investigating Prosecutor Lee's actions during his tenure as head of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's Anti-Corruption Department on suspicion of abuse of authority, and ironically, Prosecutor Lee himself is strongly hoping for a CIO investigation, saying, "The CIO should investigate."

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