[2022 National Audit] Suwon District Prosecutor General: "Ssangbangwool Investigation Is Not Political Retaliation but a Probe into Corruption"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Hong Seung-wook, Chief Prosecutor of Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, emphasized on the 18th during the National Assembly audit, "I do not think the investigation related to Ssangbangwool is a political retaliation investigation."

Chief Prosecutor Hong appeared at the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee audit that day and said, "We are currently investigating the corruption of Ssangbangwool's management and related crimes, and this is an investigation into acts of corruption."

Kim Nam-guk, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, questioned the recent personnel dispatch of the second chief prosecutor of Suwon District Prosecutors' Office to the Board of Audit and Inspection, stating, "There are major cases in Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, such as the Ssangbangwool case and the case against party leader Lee Jae-myung, which seem to be politically retaliatory," and pointed out, "They suddenly dispatched a key investigative official and appointed Kim Young-il, a core member of the Yoon Seok-yeol faction, as the second chief prosecutor."

The Ministry of Justice dispatched Kim Hyung-rok, the second chief prosecutor of Suwon District Prosecutors' Office who had been leading various investigations into the Ssangbangwool Group's suspicions, to the Board of Audit and Inspection as a legal advisor at the end of last month, and dispatched Kim Young-il, head of the Pyeongtaek branch office, as the acting second chief prosecutor of Suwon District Prosecutors' Office.

Rep. Kim said, "This second chief prosecutor appointment violates the mandatory assignment period related to personnel regulations, and the legal advisor position at the Board of Audit and Inspection is a post usually assigned to prosecutors at the chief prosecutor level, so this is a disciplinary or demotion personnel move," adding, "The more sensitive the case, the more one should avoid actions that could raise doubts about fairness, but it seems like they are planting their own line of prosecutors to conduct the investigation they want."

In response, Chief Prosecutor Hong said, "There was a request from the Board of Audit and Inspection for the dispatch of a competent prosecutor. In fact, the previous second chief prosecutor was one of the most capable and virtuous prosecutors I have worked with," and added, "Since the Board of Audit and Inspection is a constitutional institution, dispatching a deputy chief prosecutor-level prosecutor is not something that should be evaluated as a demotion or promotion."

He also said, "Regarding the so-called 'Yoon Seok-yeol line,' public officials must be loyal only to the people, and there should be no factions in the public service society, nor can there be," and added, "I understand that the current acting second chief prosecutor is not someone who would be evaluated as belonging to such a faction."

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