Special Prosecutor Ahn Kwonseop Secures Supreme Prosecutors’ Office Inspection Records on Gwanbongkwon Band Loss

Special Prosecutor Ahn Kwonseop's team has secured inspection records from the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office related to the allegations of disposal of Gwanbongkwon belt bands.

Ahn Kwonseop, the special prosecutor who will investigate the allegations of disposal of Gwanbongkwon belts and the external pressure to not prosecute Coupang severance pay, is expressing his determination at the special prosecutor team plaque ceremony held at the Seocho-gu office on the 6th. Photo by Yonhap News

According to the legal community on December 8, the special prosecution team obtained and began reviewing records from the Inspection Department of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office regarding the case of a Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office investigator losing bundles of cash with Gwanbongkwon bands.

It is reported that, in accordance with the Special Prosecution Act, the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office handed over the requested inspection materials to the special prosecution team on this day.

Although the special prosecution team has not yet completed hiring investigators or equipping its office, it appears to be accelerating its investigation after officially launching the probe with a plaque ceremony on December 6.

Previously, in December last year, the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office conducted a search and seizure at the home of Jeon Seongbae, a shaman known as Geonjin Bopsa, and secured bundles of cash, including 50 million won in Bank of Korea Gwanbongkwon notes. However, they were unable to trace the source of the funds and transferred the case to Special Prosecutor Min Junggi’s team, which is investigating various allegations related to First Lady Kim Keonhee.

The Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office lost the bands and stickers attached to the bundles, which contained information such as inspection dates, responsible personnel, and departments. The office stated that the employee lost these items while counting the cash.

In response, Minister of Justice Jeong Seongho ordered a thorough investigation in July, including an inspection to determine the facts and responsibility. The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office immediately launched an inspection, then escalated the matter to a formal investigation to uncover the facts.

In October, the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office reported to the Ministry of Justice that, although there was a practical error in handling the Gwanbongkwon notes, there was no order from higher-ups to conceal evidence.

Minister Jeong decided to initiate a permanent special prosecution, stating that an independent third-party institution is needed to uncover the truth regarding the two allegations.

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