Failure to Notify Supreme Prosecutors' Office of Song Changjin Case
Corruption Investigation Office: "Attendance Schedule Disclosed Before Confirmation"
On the 31st, the special prosecutor team led by Lee Myunghyun, which is investigating the death of Chae Sangbyeong and allegations of external pressure and cover-up during the investigation, will summon Odongun, Chief of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, as a suspect on charges of dereliction of duty for questioning. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials expressed regret regarding the disclosure of the suspect's summons schedule.
Odongun, Chief of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, is responding to questions regarding President Yoon Seokyeol's decision to cancel the arrest at the plenary meeting of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee held at the National Assembly on March 12, 2025. Photo by Kim Hyunmin
Special Prosecutor Jeong Minyoung announced at a regular briefing on the 28th, "We plan to question Chief Oh at 9:30 a.m. this Friday."
Chief Oh is suspected of failing to notify the Supreme Prosecutors' Office for nearly a year regarding the accusation against former Deputy Chief Song Changjin of perjury, which was filed in July last year.
Former Deputy Chief Song was accused by members of the Democratic Party of Korea of committing perjury during a session of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee. The special prosecutor team believes that Chief Oh intentionally delayed notifying the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in order to stall the investigation.
The special prosecutor team, which has been investigating the perjury case after receiving it from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, confirmed that the office had not notified the Supreme Prosecutors' Office about the case. As a result, the team has booked Chief Oh, Deputy Chief Lee Jaeseung, and former Deputy Chief Prosecutor Park Seokil on charges of dereliction of duty and is currently investigating them.
In relation to allegations that the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials interfered with the investigation into the Chae Sangbyeong case, the special prosecutor team has also booked former Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim Seongyu, who served as acting chief and deputy chief in the first half of last year, as well as former Deputy Chief Prosecutor Song, on charges of abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights. Previously, the special prosecutor team reportedly obtained testimony that former Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim instructed staff "not to summon those involved in the case until the general election," and, ahead of the passage of the Chae Sangbyeong Special Prosecutor Act in a plenary session, stated that "the investigation must be expedited to provide grounds for exercising the right to veto." Regarding former Deputy Chief Prosecutor Song, the team is investigating after finding evidence that he obstructed the request for a warrant to seize the communication records of former President Yoon Seokyeol.
The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials expressed its discomfort regarding these developments. A representative from the office stated at an earlier regular briefing, "We understand that, due to the nature of a special prosecutor, the investigation period is fixed and the number of staff is limited, which poses difficulties," but added, "We regret that, even though the attendance schedules for the related individuals have not been finalized, the situation is being made known to the public in advance or in real time."
In response, Special Prosecutor Jeong explained, "We have disclosed the investigation schedules for key suspects or parties involved in the case," and added, "The Special Prosecutor Act provides grounds for informing the public about the progress of the investigation, except for specific details of the charges."
On the morning of the same day, the special prosecutor team summoned Deputy Chief Prosecutor Lee, who faces the same charges as Chief Oh, for questioning. On the 29th at 9:30 a.m., the team plans to summon former Deputy Chief Prosecutor Song to investigate allegations of perjury and abuse of authority related to the investigation, as identified by the special prosecutor team.
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