Sewol Special Investigation Committee Requests Investigation of 19 Park Administration Officials Including Lee Byung-ki for 'Obstructing Truth-Finding'

On the 22nd, Park Byung-woo, Director of the Truth Investigation Bureau, announced the investigation details at a press conference related to the request for investigation into obstruction of the Sewol Ferry Special Investigation Committee by the Blue House and others, held in the main conference room of the Social Disaster Special Investigation Committee at Post Tower, Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] The 4·16 Sewol Ferry Disaster Special Investigation Committee (Special Committee) has requested an investigation into 19 government officials, including former Blue House Chief of Staff Lee Byung-gi, and a total of 10 government ministries, alleging that the Park Geun-hye administration's Blue House systematically obstructed the truth-finding of the Sewol Ferry disaster.

On the 22nd, the Special Committee held a press conference at Post Tower in Jung-gu, Seoul, stating, "We identified and investigated additional circumstances involving the Blue House and government ministries such as the Ministry of Personnel Management interfering with the Special Committee's investigation activities regarding the Sewol Ferry disaster," and confirmed that "actions to obstruct the truth-finding, such as withholding the dispatch of public officials including the Special Committee's truth-finding director, were comprehensive and systematic criminal acts." They added, "Those involved still hold key positions in the Blue House or government ministries," and emphasized, "Active willingness from the Blue House and government is necessary for uncovering the truth."

According to the Special Committee, obstruction by the Blue House began around October 2015, when the Special Committee attempted to start investigating "President Park Geun-hye's whereabouts during the Sewol Ferry disaster." It was reported that then-Chief of Staff Lee Byung-gi, aware of the investigation into the president's whereabouts, presided over senior secretaries' meetings and repeatedly instructed to obstruct the truth-finding.

Park Byung-woo, head of the Special Committee's truth-finding bureau, stated, "According to the Sewol Ferry Truth-finding Act enforcement decree, the Special Committee's staff was to increase from 90 to 120 starting November 12, 2015, but the Blue House instructed to withhold the dispatch of 17 to 19 public officials," adding, "After November 12, until the conclusion of the Special Committee's first phase of investigation activities, no additional public officials were dispatched." He also revealed that the Blue House instructed the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to respond thoroughly and strongly to prevent the Special Committee from placing matters related to the appropriateness of the Park Geun-hye administration's Sewol Ferry response on the agenda.

The Special Committee stated that it obtained and analyzed 256 pieces of related evidence, including "Blue House Senior Secretary's simple situation and trend report documents" and "internal documents with senior officials of the Ministry of Personnel Management," and confirmed these facts through investigations of 28 related individuals. The Special Committee announced that it will provide the prosecution's Sewol Ferry Disaster Special Investigation Unit with the investigation request, witness statements, and 256 pieces of evidence.