Song Doo-hwan, Human Rights Commissioner: "Prosecution Request for Son Jun-sung by the Corruption Investigation Office Not Properly Proceeded"

Song Doo-hwan, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission / Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] Song Doohwan, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission, evaluated the process by which the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Unit (HCIC) requested an arrest warrant for Son Junsung, Human Rights Protection Officer at Daegu High Prosecutors' Office, as "not appropriately conducted."

On the morning of the 27th, Song appeared at the National Assembly's Steering Committee Human Rights Commission audit and responded to a question from Jeon Juhye, a member of the People Power Party, who asked whether the HCIC's failure to properly guarantee the suspect's right to defense constituted a human rights violation.

However, Song said, "Whether this constitutes a human rights violation is not something I can answer based on an impromptu impression." He added, "If there is a real problem, I can provide an opinion after formally and thoroughly reviewing the circumstances."

When Kim Jeongjae, another member of the People Power Party, raised a similar question, Song said, "If the facts you mentioned are accurate, there could be a possibility of human rights infringement. However, since I am not aware of the facts, it is not appropriate to comment."

The HCIC requested an arrest warrant for Son Junsung, former Investigation Information Policy Officer at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office (currently Human Rights Protection Officer at Daegu High Prosecutors' Office), a key figure in the 'Yoon Seokyeol prosecution 'report scandal' suspicion,' but the court dismissed it the day before. Judge Lee Sechang, in charge of the warrant at the Seoul Central District Court, stated, "Considering the suspect's summons situation, the progress of the investigation, and the difficulty in believing there is a risk of evidence destruction or flight beyond the legitimate exercise of the suspect's right to defense, and taking into account the suspect's statement during the hearing to sincerely cooperate with future investigations, it is judged that there is a lack of necessity and substantiality for detention at this stage."

Son, while serving as the Investigation Information Policy Officer at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in April last year, is suspected of instructing prosecutors and investigators to draft complaints and collect supporting materials against opposition figures and delivering the complaints to Congressman Kim (then a candidate for the Future United Party in the general election).

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