'Investigation Confidential Leak' Gwangju Police Agency Investigator Denies Charges in First Trial

Arrested and Indicted on Charges of Official Secrets Leakage, Neglect of Duty, and Violation of the Attorney Act

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Jin-hyung] A current police officer belonging to the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency, who was indicted on charges including leaking investigation secrets, denied the charges at the first trial.

According to the legal community on the 26th, the Gwangju District Court Criminal Division 6 (Chief Judge Yoon Bong-hak) held the first trial for investigator Kim (50), who was detained and indicted on charges of official secret leakage, dereliction of duty, and violation of the Attorney-at-Law Act.

The trial of Park (55), who is accused of violating the Attorney-at-Law Act while working as the office manager of a law firm located in the region, was also conducted together.

Investigator Kim was indicted on charges of leaking information about cases he was investigating to acquaintances or fellow police officers between 2016 and 2019.

In particular, around October 2016, while investigating allegations of bribery involving former North District Yongdu-dong regional housing association chairman Jeong, he received a request from a broker, Jeon, who was a senior from his high school, and informed him about the whistleblower and the progress of the case.

In November of the same year, he is also accused of introducing former chairman Jeong to meet attorney Kwon, a former prosecutor, through Park, who was then the office manager (violation of the Attorney-at-Law Act).

Additionally, in October 2019, while investigating bid-rigging allegations involving two construction companies related to the Wolsan 1 District housing redevelopment maintenance project association, when the Gwangju District Court issued a search and seizure warrant, investigator Kim called the CEO of a construction company and informed him of the investigation status, saying, "There will be a search and seizure tomorrow, so please wait at the office."

He is also accused of dereliction of duty for visiting the construction company's office afterward and not executing the search and seizure warrant, claiming there was nothing to seize.

Former office manager Park is accused of telling broker Jeon around December 2016, regarding former chairman Jeong's case, that "You should greet the investigator (defendant Kim)" and receiving 10 million won in cash.

Investigator Kim and former office manager Park denied the charges at the trial on this day. Their defense attorneys stated that they would present specific opinions on the charges at the next trial.

The second trial will be held at 10:40 a.m. on November 11 in the same courtroom.