[Breaking] Public Corruption Investigation Office Clears Park Ji-won of 'Tip Manipulation'... Cho Seong-eun Referred to Prosecution

Former National Intelligence Service Director Park Ji-won. / Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin, Legal Affairs Specialist] The High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Division, which has been investigating the 'tip-off manipulation' allegations, has cleared former National Intelligence Service Director Park Ji-won of any charges.

The 'tip-off manipulation' allegations involve suspicions that former Director Park was involved in Newsbus's false reporting suggesting that President Yoon Seok-yeol, who was a presidential election preliminary candidate at the time, was involved in the 'accusation manipulation' case, along with whistleblower Jo Seong-eun and others.

The Public Officials Crime Investigation Division 2 (Chief Prosecutor Kim Seong-moon) announced on the 13th that it had dismissed charges against former Director Park for violating the National Intelligence Service Act, the Election Act, and the Information and Communications Network Act (defamation), as well as charges against an unidentified former NIS employee for violating the National Intelligence Service Act, in connection with the 'tip-off manipulation' allegations that former Director Park and an unidentified NIS employee were involved in the process of whistleblower Jo reporting the 'accusation manipulation' case to the media.

The division stated, "There is no evidence to suggest that the suspects conspired or that the unidentified former NIS employee was involved."

Regarding the unidentified former NIS employee and Jo's alleged violations of the Election Act and the Information and Communications Network Act, the division transferred the case to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, stating that these charges are outside the scope of its investigation.

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