[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] On the 26th, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Joint Inquiry and Investigation Task Force, which is investigating allegations that the investigator in charge at the time ignored the black box footage during the 'Taxi Driver Assault Incident' involving Deputy Minister of Justice Lee Yong-gu, questioned representatives from the company that restored the black box footage.
Mr. A, a representative from the black box restoration company, told reporters, "This morning, I met with police investigators for about an hour and 30 minutes and underwent a witness interview."
Mr. A was also questioned as a witness by the Criminal Division 5 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Lee Dong-eon), which is investigating the case. He stated that he gave the same testimony to both the prosecution and police regarding the black box footage restoration process and the circumstances under which the taxi driver obtained the footage.
The assault incident involving Deputy Minister Lee occurred on November 6 of last year. Mr. A said that on the following day, the 7th, the taxi driver came to him and requested restoration of the black box footage, saying that the police could not play the footage. Mr. A restored the footage, told the driver to record it on his mobile phone, and installed the restored black box back into the taxi.
In particular, Mr. A explained that two days later, on the 9th, a police officer from Seocho Police Station called to inquire about the footage, and he replied, "The taxi driver recorded the footage on his mobile phone and took it." About an hour later, the police called again asking, "The taxi driver says there is no content on the (black box); what is the content?" to which Mr. A responded, "Please check the taxi driver's mobile phone," and then ended the call. This was the last contact with the police at that time, Mr. A said. However, he stated that he does not remember the content of the footage and is not currently keeping it.
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 a preliminary investigation, applying the charge of assault, a crime subject to non-prosecution by victim's consent, citing the absence of black box footage proving Deputy Minister Lee's crime and the fact that the taxi driver had reached a settlement. However, controversy has grown as allegations have surfaced that the investigator in charge ignored the black box footage despite having reviewed it.
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