Oh Se-hoon "Subjected to Corruption Investigation Office's Communication Data Inquiry"..."Indiscriminate Communication Data Inquiries Have Crossed the Line"

"Claims that accessing communication data unrelated to actual pending cases is surveillance"

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon visited the construction site of the Sillim Line urban railway in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 3rd, rode the train, and shared his impressions. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon announced that he plans to verify the purpose through an information disclosure request, claiming that the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency (Gongsoocheo) also accessed his communication data.

On the 4th, Mayor Oh posted on his social networking service (SNS) under the title "I was also subject to communication data access," stating, "The indiscriminate access to communication data by investigative agencies of the Moon Jae-in administration, including Gongsoocheo, has gone too far," and added, "From June to November last year, it was confirmed that not only Gongsoocheo but also the Seoul District Prosecutors' Office, Incheon District Prosecutors' Office, and Gyeonggi Southern Police Agency?all four agencies?accessed communication data."

He further stated, "Coincidentally, all four agencies accessed the communication data of most People Power Party members, and except for the Seoul District Prosecutors' Office, none were related to my election law investigation, nor did the timing match."

He argued that accessing communication data unrelated to ongoing cases amounts to surveillance. Mayor Oh pointed out, "Gongsoocheo has investigative authority only over limited crimes committed by high-ranking officials, and investigative agencies' access to communication data should be limited to the minimum necessary for investigations," adding, "If investigative agencies unrelated to ongoing cases accessed personal information, including phone records of local government heads, it can only be regarded as surveillance."

He also announced plans to file an information disclosure request. He said, "I intend to find out on what grounds my communication data was accessed," and urged, "I hope citizens will watch closely until the end."

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