'Channel A Incident' Former Chief Prosecutor: "Han Dong-hoon Not Charged, Not a Basis for Complete Prosecution Reform"

Prosecutor Han Dong-hoon is appearing as a witness at the trial related to the assault involving Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong Jin-woong of the Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office, held on the 21st at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Byeon Pil-geon, the human rights protection officer of Changwon District Prosecutors' Office who led the investigation as the chief prosecutor in the 'Channel A case,' refuted the Democratic Party's claim that the dismissal of charges against Han Dong-hoon, Deputy Director of the Judicial Research and Training Institute (Prosecutor General), is related to 'Geomsu Wanbak' (complete removal of prosecutorial investigative authority).

According to the legal community on the 11th, Byeon posted on the prosecution's internal network 'Epross' that "During the investigation, extensive compulsory investigations and interviews with related parties were conducted, allowing for sufficient fact-finding to reach a final decision of dismissal (of charges)." He added, "Regardless of the forensic analysis of (Prosecutor General Han's) mobile phone, the disposition was possible based on the evidentiary relationships and legal principles."

Byeon served as the head of the Criminal Division 1 at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office from September 2020 to July 2021 and investigated the 'Channel A case.' He reported the plan to dismiss charges against Prosecutor General Han several times to the leadership, but due to opposition from Lee Seong-yoon, then head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office with a pro-government stance, the case could not be disposed of, and Byeon was sidelined in personnel reshuffles.

Byeon emphasized, "This case should be discussed as a matter of excluding political interference in prosecutorial investigations, not as grounds for Geomsu Wanbak." He added, "I believe the current investigation team that recently concluded the dismissal of charges against (Prosecutor General Han) made their judgment based on the same facts and evidence," and "All procedures ensuring the objectivity and rationality of the disposition, such as the Investigation Deliberation Committee and the Chief Prosecutors' Meeting, were followed."

He continued, "Despite the disposition being made based on objective evidence and legal principles, the case is being cited as a major example of arbitrary exercise of prosecutorial power," and "I am concerned about the current situation where Geomsu Wanbak is being advocated by citing this case, which should be discussed as an issue of securing political neutrality in prosecutorial investigations."

"If Geomsu Wanbak is implemented without sufficient consultation or consensus, judicial control that guarantees the legality of the investigation process and the validity of the results will inevitably be completely excluded," he added.

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