Prosecutors' Office: "Timing of Lee Jong-seop's Investigation to Be Decided by Investigation Team in Consultation with Related Parties"

The High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Unit (HCIC) stated regarding the timing of summoning Ambassador Lee Jong-seop to Australia, "It is a matter to be decided by the investigation team in consultation with the parties involved, considering the overall investigation schedule."

An HCIC official said on the 19th during a meeting with reporters, "We will proceed with the investigation as we have done and are doing."

When asked whether the schedule is being coordinated to investigate during the April Overseas Mission Chiefs Meeting, the official avoided a direct answer, saying, "It is difficult to comment."

Earlier, on the 17th, Han Dong-hoon, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, said, "The HCIC should immediately summon Ambassador Lee, and the ambassador should immediately return to the country."

On the other hand, the Presidential Office stated, "The ambassador will promptly respond to the HCIC's summons at any time," but also expressed a difference in tone with Chairman Han by saying, "It is very inappropriate for the overseas mission chief to enter the country and wait indefinitely when the HCIC has not summoned him due to unpreparedness for the investigation."

A dispute over the truth between the Presidential Office and the HCIC also arose regarding Ambassador Lee's departure to Australia.

The previous day, the Presidential Office, through the spokesperson's office, distributed a statement to the media titled "Presidential Office Position on Current Issues," stating, "Before departing for his ambassadorial post, the ambassador voluntarily visited the HCIC and was investigated for about four hours, and he said he would return and be investigated whenever summoned." It added, "The HCIC also said it would notify him of the summons once the next investigation date is prepared. Furthermore, the ambassador received not only the Ministry of Justice's approval to lift the travel ban but also permission from the HCIC to depart and assumed his post in Australia."

This claim suggests that when Ambassador Lee said he would return for investigation if summoned after departing for Australia, and the HCIC said it would notify him when ready, it should be regarded as the HCIC permitting his departure.

However, after the Presidential Office's statement, the HCIC responded, "There are some factual inaccuracies in the Presidential Office's statement. The HCIC does not have the authority to lift travel bans. Therefore, it has never permitted the departure of the person involved during the investigation process and submitted an opinion to the Ministry of Justice that maintaining the travel ban is necessary regarding the objection to the travel ban filed by the person involved."

Regarding this, an HCIC official said, "We only informed the media about this part because we thought it would be inappropriate for the public to perceive the HCIC as lying; there is no other reason."

He added, "We have been very cautious to avoid getting involved in political disputes or issues, but we are bewildered as we have suddenly entered an unexpected situation."

Inside and outside the HCIC, the prevailing view is that it will take some time before additional summons and investigations of Ambassador Lee occur.

Typically, investigative agencies, when investigating abuse of power allegations, solidify facts through analysis of seized materials and investigation of subordinates, then finally summon and investigate the 'higher-ups' as suspects. So far, there has been little progress in the HCIC's investigation into the alleged investigation interference in the Chae Sang-byeong case.

The HCIC has yet to complete the forensic analysis of materials seized in January from the office of Marine Corps Commander Kim Gye-hwan, the Ministry of National Defense prosecution team, and the investigation headquarters. It is also known that forensic work on the mobile phone submitted by Ambassador Lee on the 7th of this month has not yet begun.

Although some witnesses, including the complainant, have been questioned, investigations of seizure targets such as Commander Kim, Ministry of National Defense Legal Affairs Officer Yoo Jae-eun, and former military aide Park Jin-hee have not yet been conducted.

With the leadership positions of the chief and deputy chief vacant for two months and four prosecutors from Investigation Division 4 (led by Chief Prosecutor Lee Dae-hwan), which is handling the case, also investigating allegations of targeted audits by the Board of Audit and Inspection, manpower is insufficient.

An HCIC official said, "The public may feel frustrated, but we are proceeding with the investigation as best as we can under the given circumstances," adding, "Investigation is not something that can be rushed like a 100-meter sprint to increase speed."