Seongyun Lee Appears Before Prosecution Investigation Deliberation Committee to Explain Directly... Expected to Last Over 3 Hours (Summary)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Lee Seong-yoon, the chief prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, who is suspected of exerting external pressure on the investigation into the travel ban case of former Deputy Minister of Justice Kim Hak-ui, will attend the Prosecutorial Investigation Deliberation Committee meeting held on the 10th.

Lee is scheduled to attend the Prosecutorial Investigation Deliberation Committee meeting held at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office at 2 p.m. that day to directly explain the allegations of external pressure on the investigation. It is reported that Lee submitted a formal notice to attend the committee meeting.

Considering that until now only the defense attorneys of the suspects have attended the committee meetings, Lee's direct appearance is unusual.

The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office investigation team reportedly decided to indict Lee, who was then the head of the Anti-Corruption and Violence Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, on the grounds that he exerted external pressure to halt the investigation into former Deputy Minister Kim's illegal overseas departure allegations.

Lee's side denies exerting any improper pressure and claims that the prosecution is conducting a 'targeted investigation.'

Based on written opinions of up to 30 pages submitted by both the investigation team and Lee's defense attorneys, the committee will decide whether to proceed with prosecution or continue the investigation and make recommendations to the investigation team. However, the recommendations are non-binding, so the prosecution is not obligated to follow them.

Yang Chang-soo, chairman of the Prosecutorial Investigation Deliberation Committee (former Supreme Court justice), upon arriving at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, predicted, "As usual, this meeting will probably take more than three hours," and regarding the possibility of a confrontation between Lee and the Suwon investigation team prosecutors, he said, "It is difficult to comment, and the procedure will be followed accordingly."

When asked whether Lee's status as a candidate for Prosecutor General was considered in scheduling the meeting, Chairman Yang replied, "We do not basically consider the position of the person involved," and added, "We set the date as necessary to properly conduct the deliberation."

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