Seoul High Prosecutors' Office: "Proceeding as an Internal Investigation Case for Now"
Chief Prosecutor Han Dong-hoon (left) and Jeong Jin-woong, Head of the 1st Criminal Division at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] Prosecutor General Han Dong-hoon (47, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 27) filed a complaint on the 29th against Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong Jin-ung (51, class 29) of the Criminal Division 1 at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office to the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office for the charge of ‘official assault’ related to the assault incident during the search and seizure process. Prosecutor Han also requested an internal investigation into Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong.
Although the testimonies of both Prosecutor Han and Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong regarding the physical altercation during the search and seizure differ, it appears clear that another adverse factor has arisen in the prosecution’s investigation of the ‘media-prosecution collusion’ case, which is already facing a crisis following the recommendation of the Prosecution Investigation Deliberation Committee to ‘suspend investigation and not prosecute’ Prosecutor Han.
Kim Jong-pil, the lawyer representing Prosecutor Han, stated, “Prosecutor Han Dong-hoon filed a complaint with the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office and requested an internal investigation against the prosecutor involved in the assault during today’s search and seizure on the charge of official assault.”
According to a summary of explanations from the investigation team and Prosecutor Han’s side, the Criminal Division 1 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office attempted to seize Prosecutor Han’s mobile phone USIM (Subscriber Identity Module) at the Law Research and Training Institute’s Yongin branch office around 10:30 a.m. that day.
The investigation team initially tried to secure the USIM through voluntary submission while summoning Prosecutor Han for questioning that morning, but since Prosecutor Han did not comply with the summons, they executed a search and seizure warrant issued by the court.
However, during the process, a physical struggle broke out because Prosecutor Han physically obstructed the search and seizure, resulting in Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong falling and sustaining injuries.
On the other hand, Prosecutor Han’s side provides a completely different account.
They claim that Prosecutor Han was unilaterally assaulted during the search and seizure process.
In a statement released that day, Prosecutor Han’s side said, “Today, Prosecutor Han Dong-hoon was subjected to unilateral physical assault by Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong Jin-ung of the Criminal Division 1 at the Central District Prosecutors' Office during the search and seizure procedure at the Law Research and Training Institute. This is official assault using public authority.”
The explanation from Prosecutor Han’s side is as follows.
When Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong arrived for the search and seizure, Prosecutor Han requested the participation of his lawyer and asked if he could call his lawyer on his phone, to which Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong consented.
However, as Prosecutor Han was about to unlock his phone password to find and call the lawyer’s saved number, Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong, who was sitting across the sofa, suddenly lunged over the table, grabbed Prosecutor Han’s arm and shoulder, climbed on top of him, and pushed him down under the sofa.
Prosecutor Han’s side claims that many witnesses, including Prosecutor Jeong Tae-young and other participating staff, as well as employees of the Law Research and Training Institute, saw Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong climbing on top of Prosecutor Han, grabbing his arms and shoulders, and pressing his face down.
Prosecutor Han’s side also stated that a recording exists of Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong acknowledging the situation when Prosecutor Han protested. However, Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong admitted to grabbing and pushing Prosecutor Han down but claimed it was not assault but restraint, according to Prosecutor Han’s side.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong reportedly justified his actions by saying, “It was because if Prosecutor Han unlocked the phone password, he could alter the phone’s information,” according to Prosecutor Han’s side.
However, Prosecutor Han’s side argues that since Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong himself permitted the call to the lawyer using the phone and everyone was watching, there was no chance for Prosecutor Han to delete any information from the phone, making the assault unjustifiable.
Prosecutor Han’s side requested Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong, who committed the assault, to withdraw from the search and seizure procedure, but Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong refused, did not relay the request to his superiors, and only left the scene around 1:30 p.m. when Prosecutor Han’s lawyer arrived.
A prosecution official stated that Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong received a diagnosis at a hospital in Yongin city indicating the need for treatment at a general hospital and was transferred to another hospital.
The search and seizure concluded around 4 p.m. when the investigation team seized Prosecutor Han’s mobile phone USIM.
Since both sides have given conflicting testimonies about the same incident, the truth is expected to be clarified through the prosecution’s investigation or internal inspection process.
In response to Prosecutor Han filing a complaint and requesting an internal investigation to the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office, the superior institution of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office to which Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong belongs, the investigation team is reportedly considering adding charges of obstruction of official duties against Prosecutor Han.
On the 24th, the Prosecution Investigation Deliberation Committee, convened at the request of Lee Cheol, former CEO of VIK, who claims to be the victim in this case, voted to indict former Channel A reporter Lee Dong-jae, while regarding Prosecutor Han, 10 out of 15 committee members voted to ‘suspend investigation’ and 11 voted for ‘non-prosecution’.
Due to this overwhelming voting result, it has been analyzed that the investigation team failed to present clear evidence supporting Prosecutor Han’s collusion with former reporter Lee.
With only one week left on the extended detention period of former reporter Lee and the high possibility of the investigation team members being replaced in the imminent prosecution personnel reshuffle, it is understandable that the investigation team is feeling pressured.
There is concern that the investigation team’s urgency and anxiety to secure additional evidence to prove Prosecutor Han’s charges may have escalated to the point of using physical force against the subject of the seizure.
The Seoul High Prosecutors' Office stated, “Today, a complaint and a request for internal investigation (petition) were received from Prosecutor Han Dong-hoon’s lawyer. We plan to proceed as an internal investigation case for now.”
They added, “Since the Prosecutor General has decided not to receive reports on this case, the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office has decided to handle it directly.”
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