Kim Jin-wook, Head of the Corruption Investigation Office, on 'Search and Seizure Information Leak' Allegations: "Reporters Are Already Paying Attention"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Kim Jin-wook, Chief of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Unit (Gong-su-cheo), denied allegations that information about the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education raid last month was leaked in advance.

On the 18th, during the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee plenary session, Kim dismissed the suspicion in response to a question from Lee Soo-jin, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, stating, "Reporters were already paying attention to the movements of the investigation team's vehicles related to the raid." He explained that the press was monitoring Gong-su-cheo because they anticipated the possibility of a raid, not because information had been leaked.

Earlier, a media outlet raised suspicions that some reporters were waiting in advance at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education building during Gong-su-cheo's raid on the 18th of last month, related to the investigation of special recruitment allegations involving Seoul Mayor Cho Hee-yeon, suggesting that this information had been leaked beforehand.

In response, Kim said, "Since the Gong-su-cheo office is not an independent building, it is fully exposed to reporters, and there were reports that the raid was imminent that day." He added, "We suspect that the Gong-su-cheo press had been observing our movements from the morning and then contacted other reporters at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education."

He also mentioned regarding the Supreme Prosecutors' Office regulations that prevent Gong-su-cheo from responding to case transfer requests without the Prosecutor General's approval, stating, "There is a possibility that this violates higher laws (the Gong-su-cheo Act)."

When Song Ki-heon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, pointed out that "this matter should be discussed not with the prosecution or police but with the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, which can enact laws," Kim responded, "As you said, we will actively consider the option of legislating this."

In response to a question from Yoon Han-hong, a member of the People Power Party, about the current status of Gong-su-cheo case handling, Kim replied, "About 1,570 cases have been received, around 900 have already been processed, and approximately 600 are still being classified."