"With Deepest Condolences for the Deceased" Message
Anti-Corruption Bureau Director of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission Pays Tribute
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, changed his Facebook profile picture to a black ribbon.
On the 10th, Lee replaced his Facebook profile picture with a 'black ribbon' and wrote, "I sincerely pray for the deceased's happiness in the afterlife. I am sorry." It appears that Lee changed his profile picture to commemorate the head of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (acting director) of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, who took his own life on the 8th.
Former Representative Lee Jae-myung changed his profile picture to a black ribbon [Photo by Former Representative Lee Jae-myung Facebook capture]
The Democratic Party is currently pointing to the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's responsibility for the death of the commission official.
Spokesperson Hwang Jeong-ah said in a briefing that day, "A public official at the commission lost his life due to undue pressure related to the receipt of luxury bags," and asked, "How far will they go to protect the presidential couple?"
She continued, "We must reveal the higher-ups who drove a public official, who had conscientiously expressed the opinion that 'the case should not be closed but sent to investigative authorities,' to death," and claimed, "The justice of the democratic republic of Korea has knelt before the sanctuary called Mrs. Kim Geon-hee."
Spokesperson Hwang emphasized, "The only way out of the mire of ugly privatization and manipulation of power is a special investigation," and added, "The Democratic Party will pass the special investigation law on Mrs. Kim Geon-hee to uncover the truth behind all suspicions to the end."
The commission official was found dead on the 8th in an apartment in Jongchon-dong, Sejong City. A handwritten note in the form of a suicide letter by Mr. A was found at the scene.
On the 9th, the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office decided not to perform an autopsy, considering the absence of criminal suspicion and the wishes of the bereaved family. Accordingly, the Sejong Southern Police Station plans to close the case with no charges.
Mr. A served as the acting director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau at the commission, overseeing integrity policies, integrity investigation evaluations, and corruption impact analysis. He was in charge of the Anti-Graft Act and led investigations related to integrity, corruption, and recruitment irregularities. Recently, he handled politically sensitive cases such as the luxury bag receipt incident and the emergency helicopter transfer of former leader Lee.
Mr. A reportedly expressed stress and overwork while handling a series of sensitive issues that sparked political controversy between ruling and opposition parties, and recently pushed for revisions to the commission's Anti-Graft Act enforcement decree.
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