Whistleblower in 'Gobal Saju' Allegation Switches to Public Interest Reporter

Kim Woong, Member of the People Power Party [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] It has been reported that the whistleblower who alleged that the prosecution, during former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol's tenure, instructed the opposition party to file complaints against pro-government figures is receiving legal protection as a public interest reporter.

On the 7th, the online news outlet Newsbus reported that the whistleblower submitted a public interest report and related materials regarding the complaint instruction allegations to relevant authorities last week. However, the institutions to which the public interest report was submitted were not disclosed at the whistleblower's request.

According to the Public Interest Whistleblower Protection Act, facts that could reveal the identity of a public interest reporter cannot be disclosed or reported. Public interest reporters can request personal protection measures from the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission.

Earlier, on the 2nd, Newsbus reported that "it was confirmed that the prosecution instructed the opposition party to file criminal complaints against pro-government politicians around the time of the April 15 general election last year." The report identified Rep. Kim Woong of the People Power Party as the person who delivered the prosecution's complaint documents and the real-name criminal judgment documents of whistleblower A from the 'media collusion' case to the opposition party, and identified then-Deputy Chief Prosecutor Son Joon-sung, who was the head of the Investigation Information Division (Crime Information Planning Officer) at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, as the person who delivered these materials to Rep. Kim.

At the time, Newsbus did not directly report on former Prosecutor General Yoon's involvement but stated in the article that "the head of the Investigation Information Policy Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office directly reports key trends from various sectors and within the prosecution to the Prosecutor General and carries out the Prosecutor General's confidential instructions." Subsequently, the ruling party raised the possibility of former Prosecutor General Yoon's involvement.

In response, former Prosecutor General Yoon's side has completely denied the complaint instruction allegations, calling them a "political operation," and stated that the allegations regarding Prosecutor Son's preparation and delivery of the complaint documents are "groundless."

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