Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong Jin-woong receiving treatment at the emergency room of a general hospital in Seoul. Photo by Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office
[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] On the 29th, Jeong Jin-ung, Chief Prosecutor of the Criminal Division 1 at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, who engaged in a physical altercation with Prosecutor General Han Dong-hoon during a search and seizure operation, stated that he plans to file a counter-complaint for false accusation and defamation by false facts against Han, who accused him of 'abuse of authority.'
Chief Prosecutor Jeong denied assaulting Han, explaining that the two fell together onto the floor between the sofa and the table while attempting to secure Han’s mobile phone.
In a statement released through the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office that afternoon, Chief Prosecutor Jeong said, “Around 11 a.m. today, during the search and seizure of Prosecutor General Han Dong-hoon, there was physical contact while restraining Han’s actions that were obstructing the search and seizure.”
He added, “Since the search and seizure targeted information related to the mobile phone, I requested to make a call from the office phone to involve the defense counsel, but Han preferred to use his mobile phone, so I allowed him to use his own phone.”
He continued, “However, Han showed behavior of inputting something, so I stood up from my seat and moved around the table to Han’s right side to check what he was entering. I saw Han sitting and entering a password, with only the last character remaining. I judged that if he entered the last character, there could be issues such as deletion of the evidence to be seized, so I urgently said, ‘You must not do that,’ and tried to seize the phone directly from Han.”
Chief Prosecutor Jeong explained the situation, “Then Han, still seated, stretched the hand holding the phone to the opposite side to prevent it from being taken away. As I reached out my arm toward Han, we lost balance and both fell onto the floor between the sofa and the table. Even after falling, Han firmly refused to give up the phone, clutching it tightly, and after a struggle, I secured the phone.”
He emphasized, “This was simply a process of restraining Han’s refusal to surrender the phone and effectively securing the evidence. I did not throw my body over the table, nor did I intentionally grab or push Han’s arm or shoulder to make him fall.”
Chief Prosecutor Jeong stated, “As the person responsible for the investigation, I tried to stay until the end to complete the execution of the search warrant issued before the Prosecutorial Investigation Deliberation Committee. After Han’s defense counsel arrived at the scene, the tension eased, but I felt pain in my arms and legs and general muscle pain, so I visited a nearby orthopedic clinic. The examining doctor noted a sudden rise in my blood pressure and advised me to visit a large hospital, so I was transferred and am currently receiving treatment in the emergency room of a general hospital.”
He concluded, “Despite these circumstances, I cannot accept Han’s unilateral claim accusing me of ‘abuse of authority’ and filing a complaint. I believe this is an attempt to obstruct the investigation, and I plan to file a complaint for false accusation and defamation by false facts.”
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
