Prosecutors Summon Key Personnel in Ministry of Industry Blacklist Case

First Suspect Investigation Targeting Senior Executives

Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Sehee] The prosecution, investigating the so-called ‘Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy blacklist’ allegations, is summoning and questioning Kim, a director at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The Criminal Division 6 of the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Choi Hyungwon) has been questioning Kim, a current director at the Ministry, as a suspect since around 9 a.m. on the 29th.

Director Kim was in charge of personnel duties within the Ministry in 2017, when allegations of ‘pressure to resign’ against heads of affiliated institutions arose. This is the first time the prosecution has questioned a senior official of the Ministry as a suspect following the blacklist accusation.

The prosecution is expected to investigate whether there were instructions from higher-ups, including former Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Baek Woon-kyu.

Meanwhile, the prosecution intensified the investigation by raiding eight institutions under the Ministry, including power companies and energy public enterprises, on the 25th of last month, and has been continuously summoning and questioning former heads who resigned at that time and personnel officers of the Ministry.

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