Prosecutors Re-summon Prosecutor Shin Seong-sik Over 'KBS False Report Involvement'...Partially Admits Charges

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] Shin Seong-sik, a research fellow at the Legal Research and Training Institute (prosecutor general), who is suspected of informing a KBS reporter about the report content during KBS's 'Channel A false report' incident, was summoned again by the prosecution for investigation.

On the 26th, the Criminal Division 6 of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office, responsible for public and anti-corruption investigations (Chief Prosecutor Lee Jun-dong), announced that they conducted a summons investigation of Prosecutor Shin on the 24th. This is the second summons since Shin was called in early this month as a suspect.

During this investigation, Prosecutor Shin is reported to have partially admitted to the allegation that he conveyed information to the KBS reporter. In the previous investigation, he denied the allegations, stating that he never confirmed the report content to the KBS reporter.

KBS reported in July 2020 that there was evidence confirming that Han Dong-hoon, Minister of Justice, and Lee Dong-jae, former Channel A reporter, conspired to raise suspicions of former Roh Moo-hyun Foundation director Yoo Si-min's involvement in the SillaJen stock price manipulation case.

At the time of this alleged conspiracy in February 2020, Minister Han was demoted from head of the Anti-Corruption and Strong Crime Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to deputy chief prosecutor at the Busan High Prosecutors' Office.

KBS reported, "Then-Deputy Chief Prosecutor Han said things to the effect of 'Director Yoo has retired from politics' and 'Even if investigated, the political burden is not significant,' and it was confirmed that there were discussions about the timing of the report ahead of the general election."

Minister Han immediately filed a defamation lawsuit with the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office against KBS reporters and investigative agency officials who provided false information, calling the KBS report 'fictional and fabricated.' KBS admitted the false report and apologized.

In December of the same year, Minister Han identified Prosecutor Shin as the prosecutor who confirmed the false report content to the KBS reporter. At the time of the KBS report, Prosecutor Shin was serving as the 3rd Deputy Chief Prosecutor at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office.

After receiving the complaint, the prosecution investigated the facts with the KBS reporter and others, and in August conducted a search and seizure of Prosecutor Shin's office and official residence, securing related evidence.

During this investigation, the prosecution reportedly presented recordings stored on the KBS reporter's mobile phone and laptop, as well as office entry records from Prosecutor Shin's time as the 3rd Deputy Chief Prosecutor at the Central District Prosecutors' Office.

The prosecution is reviewing whether to apply defamation charges against Prosecutor Shin.

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