The phone thrown by Yudonggyu is locked with Telegram, investigation faces difficulties... "Will obtain the password"

No Call Records for Lee Jae-myung and Others

One of the key figures in the Daejang-dong preferential treatment suspicion case, Yoo Dong-gyu, former Planning Director of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] Digital forensic work is underway on the mobile phone of Yoo Dong-gyu, former Planning Director of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation and considered a 'key man' in the Daejang-dong development preferential treatment suspicion case. However, the recently used 'Telegram' app is encrypted, causing difficulties for the police investigation.

According to Yonhap News on the 27th, the dedicated investigation team of the Gyeonggi Southern Provincial Police Agency conducted data recovery and analysis on Yoo's mobile phone on the 25th, with Yoo's lawyer present as an observer. During this process, Yoo's side provided the phone password, allowing relatively easy access to call logs and exchanged text messages.

Yoo mainly used calls, text messages, and Telegram on his phone, and it is known that he did not use other messenger programs. The last access time to Telegram was identified as 'within one month.'

Telegram is a highly secure messenger that encrypts messages exchanged between users. It was revealed that Yoo had set a password to access this application. Yoo's lawyer, after meeting with Yoo who is currently detained, received the password and plans to provide it to the police during the next forensic examination.

Other than Telegram, the forensic work is reportedly progressing smoothly. In particular, among the call contacts, there are no notably conspicuous figures, including personnel related to Lee Jae-myung, Governor of Gyeonggi Province from the Democratic Party of Korea.

On the 29th of last month, when the prosecution conducted a search and seizure, Yoo Dong-gyu, former Planning Director of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation, threw his mobile phone, which fell onto the sidewalk. /Video=TV Chosun

Meanwhile, the mobile phone was activated by Yoo in mid-last month. On the 29th of the same month, when the prosecution came to search his residence, he attempted to conceal it by throwing it out of the window of his 9th-floor residence.

The police found the phone and sent it to the Digital Forensic Center of the National Police Agency's Criminal Investigation Headquarters, where the damaged parts were repaired. It was then returned to the Gyeonggi Southern Provincial Police Agency, where the dedicated investigation team is located, and the police coordinated with Yoo's side to schedule the recovery and analysis of the phone data.

A police official said, "The contents of the phone forensic examination are related to the investigation and cannot be disclosed," adding, "We are coordinating the next schedule for Yoo's side to observe the process."

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