Prosecutor General's Office: "Report on Indictment Leak Disciplinary Rules Review Is Inaccurate... Under Investigation"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The prosecution has refuted media reports claiming that it could not find disciplinary grounds regarding the issue of the indictment leak involving Lee Seong-yoon, head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, who has been indicted.

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office issued a statement on the 20th, saying, "The claim that Cho Nam-gwan, Deputy Chief of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office (acting Prosecutor General), instructed the Planning and Coordination Department (PCD) on the 17th to review violations of regulations related to the indictment leak, and that a PCD researcher reviewed relevant laws but could not provide an answer, is not true."

It added, "Currently, Inspection Division 1, Division 3, and the Information and Communications Division are investigating the facts."

On the same day, media outlets including Chosun Ilbo reported that the Supreme Prosecutors' Office reviewed which specific laws were violated by the indictment leak but could not find any disciplinary or punitive provisions as grounds.

The media reported, "Deputy Chief Cho reportedly instructed the PCD to 'review which regulations were violated by the indictment leak.' Accordingly, a PCD researcher reviewed relevant laws but could not provide an answer."

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office is investigating the indictment leak suspicion that surfaced after the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office indicted Prosecutor Lee on the 12th for allegedly exerting continuous external pressure during the investigation of Kim Hak-ui's illegal travel ban case, and the indictment was made public to the media the following day. As the suspicion grew, Deputy Chief Cho immediately ordered Inspection Division 1, Division 3, and the Information and Communications Division to ascertain the facts.

However, according to the legal community, it has been confirmed that multiple prosecutors accessed the prosecution investigation decision system and viewed the indictment, so it is known that it is taking longer than expected to determine whether a leak occurred and to trace the media report's background.

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