[Comprehensive] Prosecution Conducts Search and Seizure at Former Defense Minister Seo Wook's Residence

Minister of National Defense Seo Wook is attending the full meeting of the National Defense Committee held at the National Assembly on the 22nd, wearing a mask properly. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The prosecution conducted a search and seizure at the residence of former Minister of National Defense Seo Wook. It appears that the search was carried out to investigate allegations such as abuse of authority related to the killing of a public official in the West Sea. This comes about a month after the search and seizure of the National Intelligence Service on the 13th of last month.

According to the legal community on the 16th, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office conducted a search and seizure at former Minister Seo Wook's residence that morning. On the 14th of last month, employees of the Defense Intelligence Headquarters responsible for managing the Military Integrated Information Processing System (MIMS) were summoned as witnesses and investigated. Subsequently, the prosecution investigating the West Sea public official killing case conducted a search and seizure of the National Intelligence Service and began analyzing the seized materials.

The prosecution plans to investigate whether former Minister Seo Wook ordered the deletion of intelligence and whether he issued instructions through subordinates. They intend to examine allegations of abuse of authority, claiming that they arbitrarily reversed the judgment of Mr. Lee's death as a 'defection to the North' by abusing their positions. During this process, they will also look into whether improper orders were given to subordinates.

The prosecution has filed complaints against more than ten people related to the West Sea public official killing case. Key suspects in this case include former National Security Office Chief Seo Hoon, former Minister of National Defense Seo Wook, former Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs Kim Jong-hon, former Secretary for Civil Affairs Lee Kwang-cheol, former Secretary General of the National Security Council Seo Ju-seok, and former Director Park, who was accused by the National Intelligence Service.

The family of Mr. Lee also filed complaints against former Minister Seo Wook and others, asserting that "it is necessary to investigate whether the intercepted information related to Lee Dae-jun's death uploaded to MIMS was deleted immediately after the NSC meeting and the circumstances of the deletion."

Considering these points, the prosecution is expected to review the establishment of criminal charges based on the operation method of MIMS, including conducting witness investigations of MIMS management personnel.