Asked Accomplice to Lie in Prison... Prosecutor Caught After Searching Through 300 Audio Files

Supreme Prosecutors' Office, Wonju Branch Prosecutor Ryu Mirae Selected as Outstanding Case

The ringleader of a 'investment leading chat room' (a chat room recommending stock items) fraud case, who was arrested, asked accomplices imprisoned in the same prison to give false testimony, but was caught by a prosecutor who meticulously reviewed 300 visitation recording files one by one.

On the 23rd, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office announced that Ryu Mirae (30, 10th Bar Exam), the lead prosecutor from Wonju District Prosecutors' Office Criminal Division 1, was selected as an 'Outstanding Case for the May Trial.' Last month, the Chuncheon District Prosecutors' Office Wonju Branch Criminal Division 1 indicted a man in his 30s, Mr. A, the ringleader of the investment leading chat room fraud case, for subornation of perjury, and three accomplices who gave false testimony at his request for perjury.

The Taegeukgi and the prosecution flag hanging in front of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office building are fluttering in the wind. Photo by Heo Younghan younghan@

Mr. A, a member of a violent organization, asked three accomplices housed in the same prison to "give false testimony at the trial" to hide his involvement in the crime once the trial began. Mr. A proposed to hire lawyers for them as compensation for their false testimony. The accomplices who accepted Mr. A's proposal appeared as witnesses at his trial and falsely testified, saying, "We did not know it was an investment fraud, and Mr. A was not involved in the crime."

However, their false testimony was quickly exposed by lead prosecutor Ryu. Prosecutor Ryu thoroughly analyzed about 300 visitation recording files between the accomplices and their families and acquaintances. As a result, it was revealed that Mr. A shared 'witness examination question sheets' containing questions his lawyer would ask the accomplices in court within the prison and coached them to give false testimony. Eventually, Mr. A and three others involved in the perjury confessed to the crime and were additionally prosecuted. Under the Criminal Act, perjury or subornation of perjury can be punished by imprisonment of up to five years or a fine of up to 10 million won.

Besides this case, Prosecutor Ryu earned the honor of an outstanding case by identifying and indicting eight perjurers over two months, including uncovering subornation of perjury by a loan fraud suspect.

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office also selected as outstanding cases Prosecutor Shin Seungjae (10th Bar Exam) of Gyeongju District Prosecutors' Office Criminal Division, who caught an employee who gave false testimony to protect a company president on trial for auction interference; Prosecutor Shin Seokgyu (8th Bar Exam) of Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office Trial Division, who strictly punished a fellow teacher who gave false testimony to cover up a high school principal's molestation of a student teacher during a company dinner; and Prosecutor Ahn Taemin (6th Bar Exam) of Busan Eastern District Prosecutors' Office Criminal Division 2, who investigated and prosecuted a perpetrator who coached false testimony to a rape victim.