Forty Dispatched Prosecutors Submit Statement to Special Prosecutor Team
Special Prosecutor: "Confusion Understandable on an Emotional Level"
Search and Seizure at People Power Party’s South Gyeongsang Office Over 'Kim Gunhee Nomination Intervention'
All prosecutors dispatched to the special prosecutor team led by Special Prosecutor Min Joongki, who is investigating allegations related to Kim Gunhee, have requested to return to their original prosecution offices. In response, the special prosecutor’s team clarified, “The intention is to return after the investigation is concluded, not at this stage.”
Special Prosecutor Min Joongki, who is in charge of the case related to allegations against Kim Gunhee, wife of former President Yoon Sukyeol, is giving a greeting speech at the plaque unveiling ceremony held on July 2, 2025, at the special prosecutor's office set up in the KT Gwanghwamun Building West in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yongjun
On September 30, Deputy Special Prosecutor Kim Hyeonggeun stated during a regular briefing, “Last week, the amendment to the Government Organization Act was passed in the National Assembly. It is true that the prosecutors are very confused by this situation, and I understand their feelings.”
He added, “The request to return after the investigation is completed will not affect the ongoing investigation at all. We are fully committed to carrying out a thorough investigation. We will unite the intentions and capabilities of our team members to ensure the investigation is wrapped up without any wavering.”
Earlier that day, 40 prosecutors dispatched to the special prosecutor’s team submitted a statement to the office requesting to return to their original prosecution offices. Their reasoning was that, with the recent passage of the Government Organization Act amendment-which includes the abolition of the prosecution office and the separation of investigation and indictment functions-it is contradictory for them to continue working in the special prosecutor’s office.
The dispatched prosecutors stated, “Recently, the Government Organization Act was amended under the pretext of separating investigation and indictment, resulting in the dismantling of the prosecution office and the loss of prosecutors’ authority to directly investigate major crimes. In a situation where guidelines prohibiting investigators from maintaining indictments are being implemented, we are confused about whether it is appropriate for dispatched prosecutors to continue handling special prosecutor work that combines direct investigation, indictment, and maintenance of prosecution, which contradicts these guidelines.”
In response, Deputy Special Prosecutor Kim said, “Given the purpose and content of the Special Prosecutor Act and the seriousness of this case, not only investigation and indictment but also the maintenance of prosecution must be successfully carried out. Therefore, it seems necessary for the prosecutors who conducted the investigation to also be involved in indictment and maintenance of prosecution to ensure success. The specific plan for maintaining prosecution will be decided after sufficient discussion.”
Special Prosecutor Conducts Search and Seizure of People Power Party’s South Gyeongsang Provincial Office and Robot Dog Company CEO Over 'Vacheron Watch' Case
On the same day, the special prosecutor’s team conducted a search and seizure of the People Power Party’s South Gyeongsang Provincial Office in connection with allegations of mass membership registration by the Unification Church. Deputy Special Prosecutor Kim said, “We are conducting a search and seizure at the People Power Party’s South Gyeongsang Provincial Office from this morning to confirm whether there are Unification Church members among the party’s members.”
The special prosecutor’s team is investigating circumstances in which Jeon Seongbae, known as Geonjin Beopsa, and Unification Church officials allegedly tried to register Unification Church members as party members to support Assemblyman Kwon Seongdong in the People Power Party’s leadership election in March 2023. Previously, the special prosecutor’s team reportedly confirmed that among the People Power Party’s members, there were about 120,000 Unification Church followers.
Additionally, the special prosecutor’s team announced that last week, in relation to suspicions that Mrs. Kim received a 'Vacheron Constantin' watch, they conducted a search and seizure of the residence of Seo Seongbin, CEO of Drone Dome, and the company that leased robot dogs to the Presidential Security Service under a distribution contract. Seo is known as the businessman who delivered the watch to Mrs. Kim and secured a private contract with the Presidential Office for the robot dog project.
The special prosecutor’s team also announced that on this day, Park Changwook, a member of the North Gyeongsang Provincial Council, was indicted without detention on charges of delivering 100 million won in illegal political funds to Mr. Jeon during the 2022 local elections, and that a political broker surnamed Kim was indicted and detained.
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