Second Special Prosecutor Raids Supreme Prosecutors' Office Over Woojeong Shim's 'Prosecutor Dispatch and Appeal Withdrawal' Allegations

Charges of Participation in Key Insurrection Duties and Abuse of Authority

Changyoung Kwon's 2nd Comprehensive Special Prosecutor's Team has launched a compulsory investigation related to former Prosecutor General Woojeong Sim, who is suspected of involvement in the declaration of martial law.

Special Prosecutor Changyoung Kwon is making a statement with deputy special prosecutors at his office in Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi Province on February 25. Photo by Yonhap News

On the 23rd, the special prosecutor's team announced, "We are currently conducting a search and seizure at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in connection with the charges against the suspect, Woojeong Sim, regarding important duties related to insurrection and abuse of power," adding, "The charge of important duties related to insurrection is about the dispatch of prosecutors to the Joint Investigation Headquarters, and the abuse of power charge is related to the withdrawal of an immediate appeal."

Former Prosecutor General Sim is suspected of having considered dispatching prosecutors to the Joint Investigation Headquarters on the day the December 3 Martial Law was declared, following the instructions of former Justice Minister Sungjae Park.

On that day, former Minister Park returned to the Ministry of Justice after attending a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office and convened a meeting of senior officials. Ten people, including directors and bureau chiefs of the Ministry of Justice, attended the meeting. During this meeting, former Minister Park is suspected of instructing the Prosecution Bureau to "consider dispatching prosecutors to the Joint Investigation Headquarters."

It is known that former Prosecutor General Sim had three phone calls with former Minister Park from 11 p.m. that day until the early hours of the next day. This has led to suspicions that former Minister Park may have also instructed former Prosecutor General Sim to dispatch prosecutors to the Joint Investigation Headquarters.

The search and seizure targets on this day also included materials related to suspicions that former Prosecutor General Sim gave up filing an immediate appeal. Former President Seokyeol Yoon, who was indicted and detained on charges including being the ringleader of insurrection, filed for release last March, claiming that the prosecution's indictment was made after the expiration of the detention period, and the court accepted the request.

At that time, it is reported that some members of the investigation team expressed opinions that they should immediately appeal the court's release decision and seek judgment from a higher court. However, former Prosecutor General Sim, considering the possibility of a constitutional violation, decided not to file an immediate appeal and instead directed the release of former President Yoon.

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