Kim Jin-wook, Chief of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, Says "Quickly Conclude 'Report Solicitation' Investigation to Minimize Election Impact"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Kim Jin-wook, head of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office (Gong-su-cheo), said on the 24th regarding the investigation into the 'accusation manipulation' allegations in which former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol was registered as a suspect, "Finishing as quickly as possible is to minimize the impact on the election."

On the same day, Kim appeared before the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee and responded to a question from Kim Yong-min, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, asking, "Are you conducting the investigation considering the People Power Party's primary election schedule?" by saying, "The principle is not to consider political advantages or disadvantages."

When asked whether former Prosecutor General Yoon would be summoned for questioning, Kim said, "This is a hypothetical question, but we will proceed according to the law and principles."

Regarding the frequent social network service (SNS) conversations between former Deputy Director of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Investigation Information Policy Officer Son Jun-sung and Prosecutor Han Dong-hoon around the time the accusation letter was delivered to Kim Woong, a member of the People Power Party, and the suggestion that it is necessary to seize and search Prosecutor Han's mobile phone, Kim said, "If there is a need for investigation, we will find evidence and investigate."

When Jeon Ju-hye, a member of the People Power Party, pointed out the issue of fairness by saying, "Former Prosecutor General Yoon was registered as a suspect three days after the accusation, but the accusation against Park Ji-won, Director of the National Intelligence Service, was registered long after three days," Kim explained, "The two cases take different amounts of time for preliminary investigation."

Earlier, former Prosecutor General Yoon's side filed a complaint with Gong-su-cheo on the 13th, alleging that Director Park was involved in the process of manipulating accusations, and Gong-su-cheo has completed the complainant investigation and is reviewing whether to register the case.

Kim said, "Unlike the prosecution, Gong-su-cheo does not maintain a system where cases are automatically registered upon complaints or accusations; instead, it conducts preliminary investigation and analysis of the case and decides whether to register, not register, or transfer the case," adding, "It cannot be explained arithmetically like that."

He also said that regarding whether to start investigations into former Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae, who was accused for posting surveillance materials of former Prosecutor General Yoon on SNS, and Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung, who was accused of preferential treatment in the Seongnam-si Daejang-dong development project, "It is under review."

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