Police Apologize for Ignoring 'Yonggu Lee Blackbox Video'... "Investigating Officer Did Not Report"

Lee Yong-gu, Deputy Minister of Justice. / Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] The police apologized and explained that the officer in charge at Seocho Police Station ignored the black box video that was supposed to clarify the ‘taxi driver assault’ incident involving Deputy Minister of Justice Lee Yong-gu, and that the fact was not reported.

Choi Seung-ryeol, Acting Head of the National Investigation Headquarters of the National Police Agency (Director of Investigation), apologized at a press conference on the 25th, saying, “I explained the incident at the end of last year, but some facts were found to be incorrect, and I feel sorry to the public.” He added, “We believe that the officer in charge did not report it.”

It was also reported that the internal investigation report did not include the part where Sergeant A, the officer in charge of the investigation, watched the black box video. Accordingly, the current weight of suspicion is that Sergeant A watched the video but concealed it without reporting. Sergeant A is currently under suspension pending further action.

The taxi black box is a key piece of evidence in Deputy Minister Lee’s case, but the police had consistently explained that they could not find the black box video at the time after the incident surfaced. However, it was recently revealed that Sergeant A, the officer in charge, did watch the black box video, raising various suspicions.

In response, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency formed a fact-finding investigation team consisting of 13 members, including those for hearings and investigations, on the previous day and began a full-scale investigation from today. The core issues are whether the fact was reported to the higher-ups such as the head and chief of Seocho Police Station, and when the black box was checked. Acting Head Choi said, “If an investigation is necessary during the process, we will take measures such as reinforcing personnel.”

Regarding this, Kim Chang-ryong, Commissioner of the National Police Agency, said, “Due to the legal amendment this year dividing the police into national, autonomous, and investigative police, my responses regarding investigation-related matters are limited,” but added, “I fully agree with the National Investigation Headquarters’ decision and the fact-finding investigation conducted in consultation and under the direction of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, and the strict measures to be taken accordingly.”

Deputy Minister Lee assaulted a taxi driver who tried to wake him up while he was intoxicated in front of his apartment in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on November 6 last year. However, the police closed the case as an internal investigation by applying the offense of assault, which is a crime that cannot be prosecuted without the victim’s complaint, citing the absence of taxi black box footage proving Deputy Minister Lee’s crime and the fact that the taxi driver had reached a settlement.