Handongsoo, Head of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Inspection Department, Sues Reporter for 'Omission of Indictment Leak Report' Coverage

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Han Dong-su, head of the Inspection Department at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, has filed a lawsuit against a journalist from a media outlet who reported allegations that he omitted some inspection details in a mid-term report to the Ministry of Justice regarding the 'leak of the indictment by Lee Seong-yoon, Seoul High Prosecutors' Office Chief Prosecutor.'

On the 10th, Han posted on his social media service (SNS) Facebook account, mentioning the name of the Chosun Ilbo reporter who made the report, stating, "I submitted a complaint to the competent police station yesterday seeking criminal punishment for defamation by publication, etc."

He added, "This is a clear false report that seriously infringes on my human rights and honor," and "I demand an apology and a correction report from Chosun Ilbo along with appropriate measures."

The 'indictment leak' allegation arose after the indictment facts of Lee, who was indicted in May on charges of abuse of power, were prosecuted by the prosecution and reported by the media the next day. At that time, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Inspection Department immediately launched a fact-finding investigation under the Ministry of Justice's directive.

Chosun Ilbo reported the previous morning that the Inspection Department, which was conducting the investigation, confirmed that Prosecutor A, a key aide to Lee, accessed the prosecution's internal network, copied the indictment, edited it into a Word file, and stored it, but did not convert the investigation into a formal inspection. The media also reported that a Word file containing the indictment was found on the PC of Prosecutor B, who worked with Lee, but it was omitted from the mid-term report to the Ministry of Justice under Han's instructions.

In response, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Inspection Department issued an official statement saying, "The report is completely unfounded," and "The claim that the edited indictment draft prepared by Prosecutor A was leaked externally and that the Inspection Department is withholding the investigation results is also entirely false, and the fact-finding investigation is ongoing according to procedures."

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