Prosecutors' Office Still Unable to Secure Evidence of 'Gobal Saju'... Additional Search by Supreme Prosecutors' Office

Gwacheon Government Complex High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency (Gong-su-cheo).

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin, Legal Affairs Specialist] The High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Division (HOCID), which is investigating the 'accusation manipulation' allegations, is conducting an additional search and seizure at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office on the 15th.

Previously, the HOCID searched the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Investigation Information Division and recently conducted a search of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Inspection Department, taking forensic data from the official phones used by spokespersons during former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol's tenure. It appears that the HOCID is now seeking additional evidence.

On this day, the HOCID dispatched about 20 prosecutors and investigators to conduct a search and seizure at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Investigation Information Division and other locations.

The Investigation Information Division was reorganized from the Investigation Information Policy Division last year and was the office where former Investigation Information Policy Officer Son Jun-sung, who received the accusation related to the accusation manipulation in April last year, worked.

On September 28, the HOCID previously searched the offices of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Investigation Information Division along with those of Investigation Information Officer Seong Sang-wook and former Inspection Research Officer Lim Hong-seok.

Additionally, on the 26th of last month, the HOCID conducted an additional search of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Information and Communications Department servers, and on the 5th, further searched the Inspection Department and Information and Communications Department, securing forensic data from the official phones of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office spokesperson related to the accusation manipulation allegations and the 'former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol's mother-in-law response document' allegations, as well as investigation materials.

The HOCID, which has summoned former Policy Officer Son twice on suspicion of delivering the accusation to People Power Party lawmaker Kim Woong, is preparing to reapply for an arrest warrant for Son.

Following multiple rounds of search and seizure and summons of related individuals, the HOCID's renewed search today has led to speculation that sufficient evidence to support the accusation manipulation charges may not yet have been secured.

Previously, the court dismissed the HOCID's request for an arrest warrant for former Policy Officer Son, stating, "It is difficult to see a risk of evidence destruction or flight beyond the scope of legitimate defense by the suspect (former Policy Officer Son), and thus the necessity and substantiality of detention are lacking."

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