The Anti-Corruption Commission: "Messages Involving Appointment of Successor Public Corruption Investigation Officer Are Acts of Corruption"

Repeated Refusal to Comply with Interview Requests

On the 8th, the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) announced that it would directly investigate the report alleging that Kim Jin-wook, the head of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), and Deputy Director Yeo Woon-guk were involved in the selection of the next CIO chief, stating, "Since there is no supervisory agency over the CIO, the ACRC has no choice but to conduct the investigation itself."

Last year, Kim Jin-wook, the head of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency, was texting with Yeo Woon-guk, the deputy director of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, during the National Assembly Budget and Accounts Committee's comprehensive policy inquiry. [Image source=Yonhap News]

At a briefing held that afternoon, Acting Chairman and Secretary General Jeong Seung-yoon said, "The content of the text messages pertains to requests for personnel favors by public officials, which not only constitute corrupt acts under the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission Act but also potentially violate the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act and the Code of Conduct for Public Officials."

Acting Chairman Jeong emphasized, "Despite multiple requests for interviews, they have continuously refused and did not comply with the summons scheduled for 10 a.m. today. Given the nature of the case, a written investigation would inevitably become a mere formality allowing the parties to coordinate their statements, so it is necessary to confirm the facts through face-to-face interviews."

He added, "We express concern over the CIO's behavior of distorting the law by claiming that the ACRC's interview investigation lacks legal grounds. Since this matter involves investigating potential individual misconduct by public officials, the CIO should not interfere with this investigation. We hope that the CIO chief and deputy director will appear in a personal capacity and sincerely cooperate with the investigation before their terms end."

Earlier, Kim was embroiled in controversy after media captured him exchanging text messages with Deputy Director Yeo regarding the selection of his successor during a session of the National Assembly's Special Committee on Budget and Accounts last year.