Is Seong-yoon Lee's Indictment Just a Preview?… Prosecution's Imminent Indictment and Summons of Kwang-chul Lee

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The prosecution investigating the illegal travel ban case involving former Vice Minister of Justice Kim Hak-ui is reportedly accelerating the judicial processing of Lee Kwang-chul, the Blue House Secretary for Civil Affairs.

According to the legal community on the 19th, the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office investigation team is considering indicting Secretary Lee for his involvement in the process of imposing the illegal travel ban on former Vice Minister Kim. There is a possibility that he could be brought to trial as early as this week. Previously, the investigation team had already indicted Seoul Central District Prosecutor General Lee Sung-yoon for the same case.

Meanwhile, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office is also reportedly preparing to summon Secretary Lee for questioning soon. The Central Prosecutors' Office is investigating allegations of a 'planned purge' independently from the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office. The allegations include that Secretary Lee distorted and exaggerated the 'Kim Hak-ui sexual bribery allegations' to cover up the 2018-2019 Burning Sun scandal, causing the media to report on it and damaging the reputations of current and former prosecutors.

Accordingly, attention is focused on the investigation and indictment of Secretary Lee and the indictment documents that will be publicly released at the appropriate legal time. This is because the indictment is likely to name many higher-ups and Blue House officials. The indictment of Lee Sung-yoon, which caused a stir by involving former Ministers of Justice Cho Kuk and Park Sang-ki, is considered only a preview, with Secretary Lee expected to be the main feature.

So far, only a general outline of Secretary Lee's charges has been revealed, with detailed information remaining under wraps. This is because the prosecution has held Secretary Lee like a 'hidden card.'

The prosecution has transferred investigation records on three individuals, including former Director of the Ministry of Justice's Prosecutor's Office Yoon Dae-jin (currently Deputy Director of the Judicial Research and Training Institute), to the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office (Gong-su-cheo), but has not yet handed over Secretary Lee's records.

In the trial of Cha Gyu-geun, Director of the Immigration and Foreigners Policy Headquarters at the Ministry of Justice, and Prosecutor Lee Kyu-won, who are accused of illegally blocking former Vice Minister Kim Hak-ui's departure, evidence related to Secretary Lee has not yet been submitted. At the trial on the 7th, the prosecution stated, "We will submit evidence by the next hearing (June 15)."

According to the prosecution, Secretary Lee, while serving as a senior administrative officer at the Blue House Civil Affairs Office in 2019, is accused of learning in advance about former Vice Minister Kim's attempt to leave the country and notifying Prosecutor Lee Kyu-won of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's Past Affairs Investigation Team on the day of the incident, indicating that "since there was an agreement with the Ministry of Justice, Kim's departure must be blocked."

The recently leaked indictment of Lee Sung-yoon states that Secretary Lee, who was a classmate of Prosecutor Lee Kyu-won from the 36th Judicial Research and Training Institute class, heard from Prosecutor Lee that he was under investigation by the Anyang District Prosecutors' Office and conveyed this to then Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs Cho Kuk, saying, "Please tell the prosecution to allow me to study abroad without being investigated."

The other indictment to be prepared alongside Secretary Lee's indictment is expected to contain more detailed content and new circumstances, potentially bringing the case into a new phase.

The prosecution is reportedly confident in proving the various charges against Secretary Lee. Initially, the prosecution had even considered indicting Prosecutor General Lee and Secretary Lee simultaneously, indicating that the investigation has progressed to its final stages. It is also rumored that key evidence such as phone records of those involved in the case has been secured.

However, the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office (Gong-su-cheo) remains a variable. If Gong-su-cheo, which is reviewing the case records of Prosecutor Lee Kyu-won and former Director Yoon Dae-jin, requests the transfer of Secretary Lee's case and actively investigates it, the prosecution's plans will inevitably face setbacks. Secretary Lee (Grade 1) falls under the category of "public officials of Grade 3 or higher belonging to the Presidential Secretariat" as defined by Article 2 of the Gong-su-cheo Act, so if Gong-su-cheo requests the case transfer, the prosecution must comply.