The Corruption Investigation Office Conducts Search and Seizure at the Offices and Residences of Son Joon-sung and Kim Woong over 'Alleged Report Solicitation' Case

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[Asia Economy Reporters Baek Kyunghwan, Kim Hyungmin] The High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Unit (HOCI) is conducting a large-scale search and seizure on the 10th regarding the 'accusation solicitation' suspicion that the prosecution, during former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol's tenure, solicited accusations against opposition figures, ruling party members, and journalists.

The HOCI's Investigation Division 3 (Chief Prosecutor Choi Seok-gyu) is carrying out a search and seizure at the office and residence of Son Joon-sung, the Human Rights Protection Officer at Daegu High Prosecutors' Office, this morning. Earlier, HOCI also conducted a search and seizure at the office of Assemblyman Kim Woong on the 3rd floor of the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeouido.

An HOCI official stated, "We have registered related persons and commenced investigations today to uncover the substance of the so-called 'accusation solicitation' suspicion."

This marks the start of a forced investigation just four days after the accusation was filed, and only eight days after the first report was published on the 2nd.

Assemblyman Kim is suspected of handing over the accusation documents against ruling party figures, received from former Deputy Director of Investigation Information Policy at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Son Joon-sung, to the whistleblower via Telegram messenger last April.

Previously, on the 8th, HOCI summoned Kim Han-me, the representative of the Citizens' Action for Judicial Justice (Sasehaeng), as a complainant for questioning. Sasehaeng filed accusations with HOCI against former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, Son Joon-sung, Human Rights Protection Officer at Daegu High Prosecutors' Office (former Investigation Information Policy Officer at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office), Han Dong-hoon, Deputy Director of the Judicial Research and Training Institute, and Kwon Soon-jung, Chief Prosecutor of the Western Branch of Busan District Prosecutors' Office, for abuse of authority and obstruction of rights.

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