Summoned Former Minister as 'Key Figure' Without Related Parties' Investigation During Seized Evidence Analysis
Prolonged Leadership Vacancy Leads to Loss of 'Investigation Momentum'... Lee "If Investigated, I Will Return Tomorrow"
Amid ongoing controversy over whether former Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-seop, a key figure in the Marine Corps investigation pressure allegations, was appointed as ambassador to Australia and sent abroad to evade investigation, criticism has been raised that the delayed investigation by the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Department (PCC), which is handling the case, provided an excuse.
According to a comprehensive report by Asia Economy on the 18th, the PCC received a complaint against former Minister Lee last September but did not summon or investigate those involved in the pressure allegations until Lee himself appeared for questioning at the PCC on the 7th of this month.
Typically, investigative agencies conduct investigations on related parties before questioning the key suspect, but the PCC questioned former Minister Lee without going through this process. This has led to criticism that the PCC was effectively inactive in investigating the Marine Corps investigation pressure allegations.
After receiving the complaint last year, the PCC conducted some preliminary witness interviews, including the complainant, but did not carry out any search and seizure operations for the full-scale investigation until January of this year. Investigations into search and seizure targets such as Marine Corps Commander Kim Gye-hwan, Ministry of National Defense Legal Affairs Officer Yoo Jae-eun, and former military aide Park Jin-hee have yet to be conducted.
The Investigation Division 4 (Chief Prosecutor Lee Dae-hwan), which is handling the pressure allegation case, is currently analyzing the seized materials. It is unusual that the PCC summoned and questioned higher-ups before completing the analysis of seized items and without investigating the working-level personnel.
Attorney A, a former deputy prosecutor, said, "The basics of an investigation involve conducting search and seizure, analyzing seized materials, investigating related parties, and then summoning key figures. If even the preliminary investigation was not done, there would have been nothing to ask, so I do not understand why they summoned him."
However, some voices argue that the PCC's incompetence cannot be solely blamed given that the leadership, including the PCC chief, has been vacant for about three months. In important cases, decisions must be made by the leadership, and the prolonged acting system may have weakened the investigation's momentum.
Currently, the PCC is led by an acting acting chief. Lawyer Oh Dong-woon, a former judge, and lawyer Lee Myung-soon, a former prosecutor, have been selected as candidates for the next PCC chief, but President Yoon Seok-yeol has delayed the final nomination.
In this situation, former Minister Lee stated in an interview with KBS the day before, "If the PCC wants to investigate, I will return as soon as tomorrow." When asked if he would voluntarily return without a summons, he said, "I wonder what meaning it would have if I voluntarily appear when the PCC is not prepared."
Regarding the pressure allegations, he explained, "Under the previous administration, the military investigation authority for active-duty soldiers' death cases was abolished, so the Minister of National Defense cannot intervene in any way."
Meanwhile, Seoul City Council member Lee Jong-bae announced that he would file a complaint with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office on the morning of the same day against an unnamed PCC official who leaked the travel ban on former Minister Lee, which is classified as investigation secret, on charges of official secret leakage.
Council member Lee stated, "On the 6th, MBC reported that former Minister Lee, who was appointed ambassador to Australia, was subject to a travel ban by the PCC," and added, "The MBC Newsdesk anchor said, 'Our investigation confirmed that the PCC imposed a travel ban on former Minister Lee three months ago,' effectively acknowledging that an unnamed PCC official disclosed the travel ban information," explaining the background of the complaint.
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