Deputy Minister of Justice: "Busan Savings Bank Investigation Team Had 130 Members... Difficult to Suppress the Investigation"

Lee Nogong, Deputy Minister of Justice, stated that it would have been difficult given the circumstances at the time regarding the claim that President Yoon Seok-yeol, who was investigating the Busan Savings Bank case, covered up the investigation of Jo Woo-hyung, a broker involved in the Daejang-dong loan.

Inogong Deputy Minister of Justice is responding to lawmakers' questions at the plenary session of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee held at the National Assembly on the 13th.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

On the 13th, at the plenary session of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, Deputy Minister Lee responded to a question from Jeon Ju-hye, a member of the People Power Party, who asked, "Considering this was a massive financial corruption case in which the sitting president's own brother was even arrested, do you think Yoon Seok-yeol, then head of the Criminal Investigation Division 2 at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, could have covered it up as a favor to a retired senior?"

Deputy Minister Lee said, "I understand that the investigation team had up to about 130 members at the time," adding, "There were quite a lot of personnel, and since the public was inevitably paying close attention to the case, it would have been difficult to cover up the matter (the investigation cover-up)."

He continued, "As far as I know, the Criminal Investigation Department did not conduct an investigation related to this matter (Jo Woo-hyung) in 2011, and during the recent National Assembly audit, Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo said he would consider reinvestigating this part," adding, "It appears that no issues have been confirmed regarding this matter." He also elaborated, "In 2015, during investigations by the Financial Supervisory Service and the Korea Deposit Insurance Corporation, problems related to Jo Woo-hyung surfaced, and I understand the prosecution conducted an investigation."

Regarding the investigation by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office special investigation team into the 'false interview' incident involving Kim Man-bae, the major shareholder of Hwacheon Daeyu Asset Management, he said, "We are well aware of the seriousness and gravity of this investigation," and added, "The prosecution will conduct a strict investigation."

In response to criticism that the prosecution leadership, including Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo at the time, did not properly respond to reports raising suspicions of President Yoon's interference in the investigation, he replied, "The special investigation team will conduct a fair and thorough investigation, including responding to false reports and related matters."

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