[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The prosecution has launched an investigation into Kim Yo-jong, the First Deputy Director of the Workers' Party and younger sister of North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un, who was accused of blowing up the Kaesong Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office.
According to the legal community on the 16th, the case in which lawyer Lee Kyung-jae (71, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 4) filed a complaint against Kim Yo-jong and North Korean General Staff Chief Pak Jong-chon was assigned on the 13th to the Public Investigation Division 1 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Yang Dong-hoon).
The prosecution plans to review the contents of the complaint and then consider whether charges can be applied to them.
Lawyer Lee filed a complaint with the prosecution on the 8th, accusing them of using explosives and destroying public buildings.
Since it is practically impossible to punish Kim Yo-jong and others domestically, there is growing interest in how the prosecution will proceed with this investigation.
First, since collecting evidence is not easy, the prosecution may issue a suspension of prosecution, and even if a guilty verdict is handed down by the court, there is no practical way to enforce it.
However, Lawyer Lee stated, "Although we cannot arrest Kim Yo-jong and others and bring them to court, we can conduct an investigation," adding, "We must inform the 25 million North Korean residents of the illusion and hypocrisy of the Paektu bloodline and make them feel our free democratic legal order."
He also added that according to North Korean standards, this case corresponds to the 'Intentional Damage to State Property' under Article 97 of the Criminal Law (as of 2005), which is a serious crime punishable by imprisonment of 10 years or more or life imprisonment.
Earlier, North Korea destroyed the liaison office on the 16th of last month and announced the explosion through Korean Central Broadcasting and Central TV on the same day.
The liaison office was opened in September of the same year following the Panmunjom Declaration agreed upon by the South and North Korean leaders in April 2018.
Meanwhile, Lawyer Lee has been defending Choi Seo-won (formerly Choi Soon-sil), who was indicted as a 'shadow power' during the Park Geun-hye administration, from the first trial. Choi was recently sentenced to 18 years in prison, fined 20 billion won, and ordered to pay 6.3 billion won in additional fines, confirmed by the Supreme Court.
However, Lawyer Lee is conducting this complaint in a personal capacity and is known to have no connection with Choi.
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