Investigation Review Committee Targeted by Lee Seong-yoon's Reversal... Supreme Prosecutors' Office May Decide as Early as Today

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] The Supreme Prosecutors' Office is expected to decide as early as today whether to hold a prosecution review committee meeting regarding Lee Seong-yoon, the head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. The expert investigation advisory panel, which Lee requested together, has been dismissed by the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, stating that "this case does not fall under its scope."

According to the legal community on the 23rd, Cho Nam-gwan, acting Prosecutor General, is expected to decide yesterday whether to approve the request by Oh In-seo, head of the Suwon High Prosecutors' Office, to convene the prosecution review committee.

Previously, the Suwon High Prosecutors' Office rejected the advisory panel convening, stating it did not meet the requirements, but instead, to expedite the review committee convening, Oh personally requested the convening, taking a direct stance. Moon Hong-seong, head of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, is not involved in the investigation as a party related to the case. When the competent prosecutor, not the applicant, requests the convening of the review committee, the procedure of the sub-review committee to decide whether to put the agenda on the review committee can be omitted.

Some view this as Oh countering Lee's strategy to delay prosecution following the Prosecutor General candidate recommendation committee. Oh requested the convening to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office immediately after Lee, who is suspected of exerting pressure on the investigation, applied for the review committee convening.

However, there is also a possibility that Lee may seek a turnaround through the review committee. Although the review committee's recommendations are not legally binding, the prosecution has accepted the opinions in 9 out of 12 review committee meetings held so far. However, considering the investigation team's actions to date, they may not accept a non-prosecution recommendation even if it is issued.

Meanwhile, Lee's request to convene the advisory panel is unlikely to be accepted. Since the convening body is a consultative group convened ex officio by the Prosecutor General when there is a disagreement between the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and the investigation team, the suspect does not have the authority to request it.