Suwon District Prosecutors' Office Investigation Team Repeatedly Reports to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office on Lee Kwang-cheol's Prosecution Policy

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The prosecution investigating the illegal travel ban case involving former Deputy Minister of Justice Kim Hak-ui has once again reported to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office its intention to indict Lee Kwang-chul, the Blue House Secretary for Civil Affairs.

With the mid-level personnel reshuffle effectively dismantling the investigation team, it appears that they are requesting a swift decision from the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to indict Secretary Lee and conclude the investigation before the personnel changes take effect.

According to the legal community on the 27th, the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office investigation team (led by Lee Jung-seop, Head of the Criminal Division 3) interviewed former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk as a witness, supplemented the findings, and reported the plan to indict Secretary Lee to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office on the 24th. The investigation team had previously submitted an opinion to indict Secretary Lee to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office on the 12th of last month. However, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office delayed the decision for over a month.

Meanwhile, with the personnel changes, the investigation team is under pressure. Chief Prosecutor Lee, who led the team, was transferred to the Daegu District Prosecutors' Office. The investigation reporting system also changed. Shin Sung-sik, a prosecutor classified as pro-government, was appointed, and Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo (then Deputy Minister of Justice) and Moon Hong-sung, Head of the Anti-Corruption and Strong Crime Department at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office (then Senior Research Officer of the Anti-Corruption Department), who were involved in the case, have recused themselves due to allegations of involvement, making it difficult for the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to promptly decide on prosecution.

The investigation team is reportedly eager to indict Secretary Lee as soon as possible and merge the case with the trials of Cha Gyu-geun, Head of the Immigration and Foreign Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Justice, and Lee Gyu-won, then member of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's Past Affairs Investigation Unit.

The situation remains challenging even in court. Since the case is being heard at the Seoul Central District Court, if the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office investigation team, which has a different jurisdiction, wants to participate, they must obtain approval for a temporary assignment from the Supreme Prosecutors' Office. However, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office has been uncooperative.

Before the second pretrial hearing for Head Cha and Prosecutor Lee on the 15th, the investigation team requested the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to assign seven prosecutors temporarily, but when this was denied, only three participated in the trial. Such situations are likely to continue in the future.

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