Police Conduct Search and Seizure at Park Ji-won and Seo Hoon's Residences... Allegations of Recruitment Corruption and Abuse of Power (Comprehensive Report 2)

The police have conducted a search and seizure at the residences of former National Intelligence Service Director Park Ji-won and former National Security Office Chief Seo Hoon.

Former National Intelligence Service Director Park Ji-won. [Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the police on the 24th, the Anti-Corruption and Public Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has been carrying out a search and seizure at the homes of former Director Park and former Chief Seo since the morning, on charges of recruitment irregularities and abuse of authority.

Former Director Park and former Chief Seo are suspected of hiring associates at the National Security Strategy Institute (Strategy Institute). It is known that in August 2020, former Director Park hired two former aides to himself at the Strategy Institute without following proper recommendation procedures, document screening, or interviews.

Former Chief Seo is accused of hiring Jo, who did not meet the 2017 recruitment standards, as the head of the Strategy Institute's Research Planning Office. The police believe that former Chief Seo instructed changes to personnel service regulations and based on that, hired Jo. Jo is also suspected of embezzling public funds after joining the Strategy Institute.

The police began the investigation earlier this year following a request from the National Intelligence Service. It is reported that the National Intelligence Service detected the suspicions during an internal audit.

Interrogations of former Director Park and former Chief Seo as suspects have not yet taken place.

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