Prosecutors Launch Special Investigation Team for Election Crimes Ahead of General Election

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office has officially launched a 'Special Investigation Team for Election Crimes' in preparation for the April 15 general election.

According to the legal community on the 15th, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office recently formed the special investigation team by combining the Public Investigation Division 2 and Public Investigation Support Division, which are the main departments handling elections, along with the Public Investigation Division 1, Criminal Division 10 (formerly Public Investigation Division 3), Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 2, Investigation Division 1, and the Investigation Division. The team began special duty starting today.

A prosecution official stated, "Following the Prosecutor General's directive to concentrate investigative capabilities across all local prosecutor's offices, the Anti-Corruption Investigation Division has also been deployed," adding, "Personnel from the Anti-Corruption Investigation Division will be involved in investigations focusing on the flow of election funds."

The prosecution plans to strictly respond to the 'three major focus crimes'?illegal involvement such as bribery, manipulation of public opinion, and unlawful interference by public officials and organizations?in cooperation with related agencies. In this regard, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office held a 'Countermeasure Meeting with Related Agencies for the General Election' yesterday with the Seoul Metropolitan Election Commission and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

Furthermore, the prosecution intends to directly investigate cases reported by the Election Commission, important identity-related cases, and key crackdown target cases in principle. They also plan to thoroughly prepare for prosecution maintenance by having the investigating prosecutors directly manage trials.

Additionally, each prosecutor will be assigned a dedicated electoral district, and a cooperative system enabling 24-hour emergency contact with the Election Commission and police stations will be established. They plan to share information in real time from the start of investigations and indictment stages and cooperate closely. For important and urgent matters, key evidence will be promptly secured even before complaints are filed with the Election Commission.

Meanwhile, the prosecution also plans to proceed without disruption in maintaining prosecutions for various election cases currently underway in courts, as well as investigations into the Blue House's alleged 'directive investigations and election interference.'