Jinwook Kim: "We Will Ensure Yoon Seok-yeol Investigation Has No 'Election Influence' Controversy"... Seongyun Lee Apologizes for 'Emperor Investigation'

Reiterating the Need for Referral with Reservation of Prosecution Rights
"Steadily Handling Tasks Like an Ox with a Tiger's Vigilance and a Cow's Patience"

Kim Jin-wook, Chief of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency (Gong-su-cheo), is holding a press briefing on the afternoon of the 17th at the Government Gwacheon Complex, answering reporters' questions on current issues.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] Kim Jin-wook, head of the High-ranking Officials’ Crime Investigation Office (HCIO), stated on the 17th regarding the investigation into former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, who has emerged as a leading opposition presidential candidate, "We will handle it so that there is no controversy over whether it affects the election or not."

Regarding the 'prosecutorial discretion referral' which has caused conflict with the prosecution, Kim reiterated the existing stance, saying, "A type of referral for additional investigation and indictment is necessary."

At a press briefing held at the HCIO building in Gwacheon in the afternoon, Kim explained the background of the investigation into Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, who became the HCIO’s first investigation target, and former Prosecutor General Yoon, responding to a reporter’s question by saying, "They were registered in accordance with the HCIO’s case handling regulations."

He also explained the series of processes from when a case is received by the HCIO until it is closed.

Kim stated, "Both cases are currently registered, but the investigation into former Prosecutor General Yoon has not yet begun in earnest." He explained that simultaneous investigations are underway for the Superintendent Cho’s case and the false document creation case involving Prosecutor Lee Gyu-won, which was referred from the prosecution, and that there is a lack of investigative capacity due to scheduled training for six prosecutors next Friday.

In this regard, the HCIO clarified via a text message during the briefing that "the statement that a full-scale investigation into former Prosecutor General Yoon has not started means that formal investigation activities such as summoning related parties have not yet begun."

Regarding concerns about the Yoon investigation potentially influencing the election, Kim responded, "Since this is related to an investigation, it is not appropriate for me to answer in detail, but I would like to say that we will handle it so that there is no impact on the election and no controversy about whether it affects the election or not."

He added, "At the Kwanhun Forum on June 25, I mentioned that conducting investigations close to the election or appearing to interfere in the election is inappropriate." He continued, "Therefore, we will faithfully adhere to that statement because in representative democracy, it is unacceptable to influence, obstruct, or affect voters’ intentions in an election."

At the end of the briefing, when asked whether the investigation would be completed before the presidential candidate is confirmed, Kim reiterated, "In principle, we have no intention to influence the election, and as an investigative agency, we will responsibly handle it so that no inappropriate remarks arise."

After the briefing, the HCIO sent an additional text message to reporters stating, "Regarding the timing of the conclusion of the investigation into former Prosecutor General Yoon, the HCIO head did not mention any specific timing and responded that it will be conducted responsibly."

Although the court recently gave a provisional judgment that there is no problem with the prosecution’s indictment ignoring the HCIO’s request for prosecutorial discretion referral, Kim did not change his stance, saying, "According to Article 25, Paragraph 2 of the HCIO Act, cases involving prosecutors’ misconduct fall under the exclusive or at least preferential jurisdiction of the HCIO. This provision was created because of the prosecution’s tendency to protect their own, so this type of referral is necessary."

He further pointed out, "Since we cannot investigate all cases due to circumstances, we must refer cases somehow, but if cases of prosecutors’ misconduct are referred to the police, there must be a regulatory basis for the police to transfer the case to us after completing their investigation."

Meanwhile, Kim directly apologized for the ‘imperial investigation’ incident involving Lee Sung-yoon, Seoul High Prosecutor’s Office Chief, which sparked controversy over the HCIO’s political neutrality, including the ‘escort by official vehicle’.

He said, "There were trial and error processes while the HCIO was establishing itself, and I sincerely apologize for causing concern to the public." He added, "We should have handled matters more carefully and seriously to avoid fairness controversies, but we failed to do so."

He explained the reason for the apology, saying, "Although it is all in the past and some criticized that apologizing anew creates new problems, I believe that acknowledging and correcting past mistakes is the shortcut to the right path."

Finally, he said, "I understand that it took a considerable amount of time for institutions like the Constitutional Court and the National Human Rights Commission, which currently enjoy public trust, to firmly establish themselves as national institutions." He added, "I do not expect the HCIO to properly establish investigative capabilities and settle in just a few months. I think it will take at least several years. There will be trial and error and mistakes during that process."

He continued, "I ask the public to be a little patient and watch the HCIO with a sharp yet warm eye." He expressed his determination, saying, "We will never forget why the HCIO was created and why we are here, and we will carry out our duties steadily like an ox with the attitude of 호시우행 (虎視牛行)."

*호시우행 (虎視牛行): Maintaining the sharp gaze of a tiger while moving steadily like an ox. It means keeping one’s eyes sharp at all times while acting diligently and persistently like an ox.