[Full Text] Han Dong-hoon "Prosecutor Jeong Jin-ung climbed on, knocked down, and pressed his face"

"Abuse of Authority Using Official Power... Legal Action Will Be Taken"

Han Dong-hoon, the chief prosecutor under investigation for the 'media-prosecution collusion' suspicion (left), claimed on the 29th that he was assaulted by Prosecutor Jeong Jin-woong (right), head of the Criminal Division 1 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office investigation team, during a mobile phone seizure process.
/Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon, Intern Reporter Kang Joo-hee] Han Dong-hoon, Chief Prosecutor (Research Fellow at the Judicial Research and Training Institute) under investigation for the alleged 'prosecutor-media collusion,' claimed on the 29th that he was assaulted by Prosecutor Jeong Jin-ung, head of the Criminal Division 1 investigation team at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, during a mobile phone seizure search.

In a statement released that afternoon, Chief Prosecutor Han said, "During the seizure search procedure at the Judicial Research and Training Institute, I was subjected to unilateral physical assault by Prosecutor Jeong Jin-ung," and described it as "abuse of official power through unlawful violence."

According to the statement, the Criminal Division 1 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office arrived at the Yongin branch of the Judicial Research and Training Institute around 10:30 a.m. that day to seize and search Chief Prosecutor Han's mobile phone.

Chief Prosecutor Han told Prosecutor Jeong, who was directing the scene, that he would call his lawyer. After receiving permission, Chief Prosecutor Han attempted to unlock his smartphone to make the call, but a physical struggle ensued during this process.

Han's side claimed, "Suddenly, Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong Jin-ung, who was sitting across the sofa, lunged over the table, grabbed Chief Prosecutor Han's arm and shoulder, climbed onto his body, and pushed him down onto the sofa," adding, "During this, Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong climbed on top of Chief Prosecutor Han, grabbed his arms and shoulders, and pressed his face down."

They continued, "There were multiple witnesses to this situation, including Prosecutor Jang Tae-young, participating staff, and Judicial Research and Training Institute employees, and Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong's attitude acknowledging this situation during subsequent protests was recorded," and stated, "Chief Prosecutor Han was willing to cooperate with the execution of the search warrant but is extremely angry and seriously concerned about being subjected to such unlawful violence by the investigating prosecutor."

In response, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office claimed that Chief Prosecutor Han obstructed the search and that the action was restraint, not assault. In a press release that day, the office rebutted, "Due to the physical obstruction by the subject of the seizure, the responsible deputy chief prosecutor fell and is currently receiving medical treatment."

Below is the full statement from Chief Prosecutor Han Dong-hoon's side.

Today, Chief Prosecutor Han Dong-hoon was subjected to unilateral physical assault by Prosecutor Jeong Jin-ung, head of the Criminal Division 1 at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, during the seizure search procedure at the Judicial Research and Training Institute. This is abuse of official power through unlawful violence.

This morning, Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong Jin-ung and others arrived at the Judicial Research and Training Institute office to conduct a seizure search. As Chief Prosecutor Han began reading the search warrant, he requested the participation of a lawyer guaranteed by law from Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong. Chief Prosecutor Han asked Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong if he could call his lawyer, Kim Jong-pil, using his own mobile phone. Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong immediately granted permission. However, when Chief Prosecutor Han tried to unlock his phone (which stored the lawyer's number and which he could not remember, so he had no choice but to use this phone) to call his lawyer, suddenly, Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong, who was sitting across the sofa, lunged over the table, grabbed Chief Prosecutor Han's arm and shoulder, climbed onto his body, and pushed him down onto the sofa. During this, Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong climbed on top of Chief Prosecutor Han, grabbed his arms and shoulders, and pressed his face down. There are many witnesses to this situation, including Prosecutor Jang Tae-young, participating staff, and Judicial Research and Training Institute employees. Furthermore, during the subsequent protest, Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong's attitude acknowledging this situation (he admits to grabbing and pushing me down but bizarrely claims it was restraint, not assault) was recorded. Chief Prosecutor Han was willing to cooperate with the execution of the search warrant but is extremely angry and seriously concerned about being subjected to such unlawful violence by the investigating prosecutor. (Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong claims that if Chief Prosecutor Han unlocked his phone password, he could alter phone information, but it was Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong himself who explicitly permitted Chief Prosecutor Han to call his lawyer on the phone, and since everyone was watching, there was no way Chief Prosecutor Han would delete any information. How could he make a call without unlocking the phone password after being allowed to do so? The reason for assaulting someone and pushing them to the floor is unreasonable.)

Afterward, Chief Prosecutor Han formally requested that Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong, the assailant, recuse himself from the seizure search and investigation procedures. However, Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong explicitly refused. It was a reasonable request that, even if other prosecutors were added, it was inappropriate for Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong to continue the seizure search. Despite this very reasonable request to exclude the person who assaulted me during the investigation, Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong ignored it. I strongly insisted that this request be reported to higher authorities, but Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong said it was his decision and refused without reporting. Then, around 1:30 p.m., only after the lawyer arrived and protested did he change his stance, saying he would step down and left.

Chief Prosecutor Han Dong-hoon was unilaterally and unjustly assaulted by Prosecutor Jeong Jin-ung using official power and plans to take legal action.