Investigation Review Committee "Investigation on Lee Jae-yong's Propofol Use Should Be Halted"... Prosecution "Will Review and Decide on Disposition" (Comprehensive)

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] The Supreme Prosecutors' Office's Prosecutorial Investigation Deliberation Committee has decided to suspend the investigation into the allegations of 'propofol administration' against Lee Jae-yong, Vice Chairman of Samsung Electronics. However, regarding whether to indict, opinions were evenly split, and no recommendation was made. The prosecution plans to comprehensively review the deliberation results and make a final decision on the disposition.

According to the prosecution on the 26th, the investigation deliberation committee convened from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. to review and recommend on whether to indict Vice Chairman Lee. Of the 15 committee members excluding the chairperson, one member was recused due to a conflict of interest raised by the prosecution, resulting in 14 members participating in the vote.

The investigation deliberation committee judged to suspend the investigation against Vice Chairman Lee. Among the 14 members, 8 opposed continuing the investigation, while 6 supported it. Regarding the indictment, 7 members were in favor and 7 opposed, resulting in a tie.

The agenda referred to the committee that day was whether to continue the investigation and prosecute the suspect Lee Jae-yong for violating the Narcotics Control Act (psychotropic substances) (illegal administration of propofol). Vice Chairman Lee's side refuted the prosecution's claims, asserting that there was no wrongdoing.

In January last year, the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission received a report that Vice Chairman Lee had habitually administered propofol at a plastic surgery clinic in Seoul and requested an investigation from the Supreme Prosecutors' Office. The case was assigned to the Violent Crimes Division of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office.

In response, Vice Chairman Lee applied for the convening of the investigation deliberation committee to assess the appropriateness of the prosecution's investigation. The investigation deliberation committee, implemented since 2018, is a system where external personnel to the prosecution review the investigation process of cases that raise public suspicion or attract social attention and evaluate the legality of the investigation results.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office's Citizen Prosecutors Committee formed a subcommittee on the 11th and resolved to refer Vice Chairman Lee's case to the investigation deliberation committee. Vice Chairman Lee's side stated, "We once again clearly confirm that there was no illegal administration beyond lawful medical procedures during the treatment process."

During this process, Kim Mo, the head of the plastic surgery clinic suspected of administering propofol to Vice Chairman Lee, was sentenced to three years in prison in the first trial in January for violating the Narcotics Control Act and other charges. Kim is accused of habitually administering propofol to himself and members of chaebol families from September 2017 to November 2019.

Meanwhile, the prosecution stated that it will review the final disposition by comprehensively considering the results of the investigation deliberation committee and the investigation conducted so far.

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