Prosecutors Investigate Former Head of Criminal Division at Seocho Police Station Over Allegations of Favoring Lee Yong-gu

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] A police officer who was serving as the head of the criminal division at the Seoul Seocho Police Station during the taxi driver assault incident involving former Deputy Minister of Justice Lee Yong-gu was investigated by the prosecution.

According to the legal community on the 15th, the Criminal Division 5 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Lee Dong-eon) summoned Police Sergeant A, a current police officer, for questioning as a suspect.

Sergeant A, currently working at another police station, was found to have recognized through an internet search at the time of the incident that former Deputy Minister Lee was a candidate for the head of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office (Gongu-cheo).

The prosecution is reportedly investigating Sergeant A to determine whether there was any external pressure or improper instructions given to the investigation team during the handling of Lee’s case.

Earlier, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Joint Fact-finding Investigation Team for Inspection and Investigation decided on the 9th to refer Police Officer B, who was in charge of the case at the Seocho Police Station, to the prosecution on charges of special dereliction of duty under the Special Act.

However, the police judged that there was insufficient evidence to clearly prove intentional dereliction of duty by Detective C, the head of the criminal team in B’s command line, and Sergeant A, the head of the criminal division, and decided to refer the matter to the Police Investigation Review Committee, which includes external experts, to determine whether to send them to the prosecution later.

The prosecution is investigating allegations of a 'lenient investigation' by Seocho Police officers at the time, along with the taxi driver assault case involving former Deputy Minister Lee. The prosecution has continued questioning related parties, including Detective C, who was summoned for questioning following Lee at the end of last month.

Former Deputy Minister Lee is accused of assaulting a taxi driver by grabbing the driver’s collar after arriving at his apartment in Seocho-gu on November 6 of last year, before his appointment, while intoxicated in the taxi.

The police closed the case on November 12 without booking Lee, citing that the victim did not wish to press charges.

Lee tendered his resignation on the 28th of last month, six months after his appointment.

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