Yoon Seok-yeol Registered as a Suspect in the 'Soliciting Prosecution' Allegation at the Corruption Investigation Office (Comprehensive)

PCC, Morning "Son Junseong Booked" → Afternoon "Yoon Seokyeol and Son Junseong Both Booked"
4 Charges Including Abuse of Power, Official Secrets Leakage, Election Law and Personal Information Protection Act Violations

Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol / Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] The High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Unit (PCC), currently investigating the 'accusation manipulation' allegations, has registered former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol as a suspect.

On the afternoon of the 10th, a PCC official held a briefing and announced that former Prosecutor General Yoon was registered along with former Senior Prosecutor Son Joon-sung, former Investigation Information Policy Officer at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office (currently Human Rights Protection Officer at Daegu High Prosecutors' Office), on four charges: abuse of authority, disclosure of official secrets, violation of the Personal Information Protection Act, and violation of the Public Official Election Act. Initially, the PCC official had stated that only Prosecutor Son was registered, but through this briefing, they explained, "It has been confirmed that former Prosecutor General Yoon was also registered."

He said, "Currently, both registered individuals (former Prosecutor General Yoon and Prosecutor Son) face four charges each," but added that former Prosecutor General Yoon was not subject to a search and seizure on that day.

On the morning of the same day, the PCC's Investigation Division 3 (Chief Prosecutor Choi Seok-gyu) conducted search and seizure operations at five locations, including Prosecutor Son's and People Power Party lawmaker Kim Woong's residences, offices, or parliamentary offices. It was understood that a total of 23 PCC personnel, including five prosecutors, were deployed for the search and seizure.

A PCC official explained the background of the swift compulsory investigation, stating, "(If the accusation manipulation allegations) are true, it is an extremely serious crime. Due to the nature of the case, the longer time passes, the greater the risk of evidence destruction or tampering, so securing evidence was very urgent."

However, he emphasized, "(No charges have been detected yet)" and added, "It is necessary to promptly clarify the substantive facts, and we will proceed step by step from now on. We will keep all possibilities open and examine them thoroughly."

Except for the office of lawmaker Kim, where a standoff between People Power Party lawmakers and investigative personnel is ongoing, the search and seizure at the other four locations have been completed. The PCC secured the mobile phones of Prosecutor Son and lawmaker Kim and is reportedly planning to conduct forensic analysis on them.

Meanwhile, it is known that lawmaker Kim's side protested that the PCC's search and seizure of his office was illegal because the warrant did not specify the items to be seized.

In response, a PCC official said, "If you look at the search and seizure warrant, the targets are specified accurately and concretely. The claim of 'illegality' is not true," adding, "Lawmaker Kim tried to read the warrant aloud, and when he was stopped, People Power Party lawmakers tried to obstruct. Since the warrant contains information about the suspect's facts, this could constitute obstruction of official duties." He also said, "Since the lawmakers have expressed their desire for substantive truth verification, we would appreciate their cooperation with the lawful investigative procedures."

On the 8th, the PCC summoned Kim Han-me, the representative of the Citizens' Action for Judicial Justice (Sasehaeng), as a complainant and conducted an investigation. Sasehaeng filed complaints with the PCC against former Prosecutor General Yoon, Prosecutor Son, Chief Prosecutor Han Dong-hoon (Deputy Director of the Judicial Research and Training Institute), and Prosecutor Kwon Soon-jung of the Busan Western District Prosecutors' Office for abuse of authority and obstruction of rights. According to the PCC, Chief Prosecutor Han and Prosecutor Kwon were not registered, and lawmaker Kim is scheduled to be investigated as a witness for the time being.

Prosecutors from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials conducted a search and seizure on the office of Kim Woong, a member of the People Power Party and identified as a 'key man' in the so-called whistleblowing scandal involving former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on the 10th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

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