"The Role of the Supreme Prosecutor's Office Investigation Information Policy Officer Varies Depending on Who the Chief Prosecutor Is"… Is Yoon's Involvement Being Investigated?

Management of Information on Reports from Various Levels
Key Position in Prosecution and Closest to the Chief Prosecutor
Focus on Verifying Yoon's Orders and Involvement
Legal Circles: "The Two Are Not Close"
Lack of Physical Evidence and Denial by Parties Hinder Proof

Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party's presidential primary candidate, is heading to the party leader's office at the National Assembly on the 6th to meet with Representative Lee Jun-seok. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] "The role changes completely depending on the Prosecutor General."

An official at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office summarized the position of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Investigation Information Policy Officer in this way. It is a key position within the prosecution and also the closest aide reflecting the intentions of the Prosecutor General. The Investigation Information Policy Officer is under the Deputy Prosecutor General in the prosecution organization, but the scope of the role can expand depending on the Prosecutor General. Typically, this is an 'information prosecutor' who collects, analyzes, and manages investigation information and materials coming from various levels of prosecution offices nationwide. Sometimes, they can act beyond that.

This is why the core or final destination of the 'accusation solicitation' allegations involving former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol must inevitably be him. The prosecution and the Ministry of Justice are also considering this point while examining the allegations. The circumstances in which former Investigation Information Policy Officer Son Joon-sung (currently Human Rights Protection Officer at Daegu High Prosecutors' Office) exchanged accusation letters and related materials about ruling party figures and journalists with Kim Woong, then a Future United Party candidate for the National Assembly (currently a People Power Party member), via Telegram are solidifying as 'facts.'

The prosecution's investigation is focused on determining whether former Prosecutor General Yoon ordered or was involved in this. The investigation is still in its early stages. On the afternoon of the 2nd, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Inspection Division 3 received an order from Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo to conduct a fact-finding investigation and carried out investigations on the 3rd and 6th. The 7th marks only the third day of investigation. They have secured and are analyzing former Policy Officer Son's work PC, but as of the morning of that day, no significant materials have emerged.

If the fact-finding investigation is insufficient, it may be converted into an inspection under the authority of Han Dong-soo, head of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Inspection Department. If that is also difficult, the Ministry of Justice is prepared to step in. On the previous day at the National Assembly Judiciary Committee, Minister of Justice Park Beom-gye said, "If the investigation is insufficient, we should also consider transitioning to an investigative system."

Legal circles view it as difficult to prove former Prosecutor General Yoon's involvement. Several legal insiders say, "Yoon and Son are not close enough for Yoon to have solicited accusations through Son." During his tenure, Yoon did not personally appoint Son. In the mid-level personnel reshuffle in January last year, Yoon requested the Ministry of Justice to retain Kim Yoo-cheol, then Investigation Information Policy Officer, but former Minister of Justice Chu Mi-ae rejected this and appointed Son instead. However, there is a possibility that Son, amid conflicts between former Minister Chu and Yoon, may have switched allegiance to Yoon's side.

There is also no concrete evidence revealing Yoon's orders. In the Telegram chatroom between Policy Officer Son and Representative Kim, only exchanged materials exist, with no mention related to Yoon. Given the nature of the duties, the Telegram chatroom could simply be for sharing information and materials, making premature speculation difficult.

The parties involved strongly deny the allegations. Representative Kim Woong said at the National Assembly Judiciary Committee the previous day, "It has nothing to do with former Prosecutor General Yoon."

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