Prosecutor Heejoon Eom, Accused in 'Coupang Investigation Pressure' Case, Files Complaint Against Special Prosecutor Team: "Distortion of Evidence and Facts"

Special Prosecutor Kwonsup Ahn, Assistants Kim Kiuk and Kwon Dohyeong, and Others

Charged with Abuse of Authority and Related Offenses at the Corruption Investigation Office

"Leaked Confidential Information to Jiseok Moon"

Prosecutor Heejoon Eom, who has been indicted after being identified as the key figure in the 'Coupang Investigation External Pressure' case, has filed criminal charges against Special Prosecutor Kwonsup Ahn and other members of the special investigation team who investigated him, accusing them of abuse of authority and other offenses.

On the 16th, at the 8th plenary meeting of the Special Committee for National Investigation on the Alleged Political Prosecution and Fabricated Indictment by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration held at the National Assembly, Prosecutor Eom Hee-joon, who led the "Daejangdong Phase 2 Investigation Team," is taking the witness oath at the hearing on the Daejangdong case, the former Deputy Director of the Democratic Research Institute Kim Yong, and the alleged fabricated indictment case of Wirye New Town. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

On May 12, Eom's legal team announced that they had filed a complaint with the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, accusing Special Prosecutor Ahn, Special Prosecutor Assistants Kim Kiuk and Kwon Dohyeong, and three seconded prosecutors of abuse of authority, obstruction of the exercise of rights, leaking official secrets, and drafting and using false official documents.

Prosecutor Eom is currently on trial for allegedly pressuring Chief Prosecutor Jiseok Moon, who was investigating Coupang's unpaid severance pay allegations early last year while serving as head of the Bucheon District Prosecutors' Office, to issue a non-prosecution decision.

Eom's legal team contends that the special investigation team distorted the facts to construct a false narrative. They claim that the special prosecution team deliberately excluded numerous pieces of evidence favorable to Eom from the investigative records and evidence assessment, and intentionally omitted facts from the indictment.

They further asserted, "Key investigative secrets and detailed updates on the investigation's progress were provided to Chief Prosecutor Moon, who was himself under investigation for false accusation charges," adding that "the fairness and objectivity of the investigation were severely compromised."

The core of the allegations regarding Coupang's unpaid severance pay centers on Coupang Fulfillment Services' alleged change to severance-related payment regulations in May 2023, resulting in the withholding of payments of a severance nature to employees.

Subsequently, Chief Prosecutor Moon, who was in charge of the case, claimed during the investigation that then-district chief Eom omitted key evidence and pressured him to drop the charges. After investigating these allegations, the special investigation team indicted Eom on charges including abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights.

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