'Accusation Tip-off' Suspicion Turns into a Truth Game... Is a New Phase Approaching?

Whistleblower Accused Jo Seong-eun
"Legal Action Against Yoon Seok-yeol and Kim Woong"
Son Jun-sung Says "I Never Wrote It"
Whistleblower's Identity and Background Must Be Revealed First

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The truth game surrounding the ‘accusation solicitation’ allegation?that during Yoon Seok-yeol’s tenure as Prosecutor General, the prosecution requested the opposition to file complaints against ruling party figures and journalists?is intensifying.

Moreover, the situation reached a new phase on the 10th when the High-ranking Officials’ Crime Investigation Division (HOCI) conducted raids on the offices and residences of Kim Woong, a member of the People Power Party, and Son Joon-sung, Human Rights Protection Officer at Daegu High Prosecutors’ Office (then Investigation Information Policy Officer at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office). This is also why this weekend and next week are drawing attention.

The key figures at the center of the allegations have taken active measures, changing the previously suspicious flow.

A figure who reportedly tipped off the internet media outlet ‘Newsbus’ about the allegations has emerged. In an anonymous interview with JTBC on the 9th, the individual said, "I received materials from Kim Woong, a member of the People Power Party, but did not deliver them to the People Power Party," adding, "I only informed Newsbus that I had received the materials. This is not a political operation."

Jo Seong-eun, CEO of Almighty Media, suspected to be this whistleblower, targeted former Prosecutor General Yoon and Representative Kim in a press conference on social media (SNS) on the 8th, seemingly identifying herself as the whistleblower, stating, "They are portraying me as a public interest whistleblower and spreading various insults and falsehoods." She also added that she would take "strong legal action."

Jo was suspected as the whistleblower because she worked in the election campaign committee of the United Future Party (now People Power Party) during last year’s general election and served as an emergency committee member of the People’s Party.

Son Joon-sung, Human Rights Protection Officer at Daegu High Prosecutors’ Office (then Investigation Information Policy Officer at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office), who was identified as the person who initially drafted the complaint and delivered it to Representative Kim, maintains the position that he "never wrote the complaint."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

To unravel the chain of allegations, the identity and background of the whistleblower must first be clarified. Since Representative Kim and Prosecutor Son deny the contents related to the Telegram messenger, a key piece of evidence in the accusation solicitation, a rebuttal from the whistleblower is necessary.

Questions about the complaint documents continue to grow. The complaints drawing attention in this allegation are those delivered on April 3 last year, representing the positions of former Prosecutor General Yoon and his wife Kim Geon-hee, and the document sent on April 8 accusing Choi Kang-wook, leader of the Open Democratic Party.

Initially, the ruling party analyzed that the complaint documents resembled indictments written by prosecutors, suggesting Prosecutor Son authored them. However, recently, it has been revealed that the complaint forms are identical not only to those provided by the prosecution but also to those from the National Police Agency, turning the authorship into a ‘mystery.’

Meanwhile, HOCI has launched a full-scale investigation into the allegations. The large-scale raids conducted on this day were the first signal. This occurred just four days after receiving the complaint documents.

Earlier, on the 8th, HOCI summoned Kim Han-me, head of the Citizens’ Action for Judicial Justice (Sasehaeng), as a complainant for questioning. Sasehaeng filed complaints with HOCI accusing 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, head of the Western Branch of Busan District Prosecutors’ Office, of abuse of authority and obstruction of rights.

The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, which is conducting a fact-finding investigation, is also highly likely to switch to a formal investigation. It is known to be reinforcing personnel in preparation for this. The Digital Forensics Division 3 recently conducted digital forensics on a mobile phone voluntarily submitted by the whistleblower and concluded that "Telegram messages were not manipulated." There is no evidence that the whistleblower manipulated the ‘Sent by Son Joon-sung’ phrase that appeared when photos and other files were transmitted on Telegram.

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