Suspected of Obstructing Search Warrant Requests for Yoon's Personal Mobile Phone in June Last Year
Accused of Perjury for Testifying in the National Assembly: "Unaware of Lee Jongho's Involvement in External Pressure on the Marine Investigation"
Song Changjin, former Chief Prosecutor at the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office, was summoned on the 29th to the Special Prosecutor's Office for Fallen Marines in Seocho-dong as a suspect. Photo by Yonhap News
Song Changjin, former Chief Prosecutor at the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office, appeared before Special Prosecutor Lee Myunghyun's team as a suspect in the investigation into the death of a Marine.
On the morning of the 29th, as Song arrived at the special prosecutor's office, reporters asked him questions such as, "Why did you block the request for a search and seizure warrant against former President Yoon Sukyeol?" and "Do you maintain that you only learned later about Lee Jongho, former CEO of Black Pearl Invest, being implicated in the lobbying allegations?" Song replied, "I will answer inside."
The special prosecutor's team discovered evidence that, in June of last year, while Song was serving at the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office, he obstructed the request for a search and seizure warrant for former President Yoon's personal mobile phone and the presidential office's internal phone line.
At the time, Song is reported to have said during a meeting presided over by Director Oh Dongwoon, "I cannot approve the search and communication warrant. If I am excluded from the approval process, I will resign."
The special prosecutor's team suspects that Song intentionally tried to obstruct the investigation, given his previous working relationship with former President Yoon. Song worked with Yoon at the Daegu District Prosecutors' Office in 2009 and the Central Investigation Department of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in 2011.
In addition, the special prosecutor's team is also investigating a case in which Song was accused of perjury under the National Assembly Testimony and Appraisal Act. In July of last year, Song testified before the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee, stating that he was unaware of Lee Jongho, former CEO of Black Pearl Invest, being involved in the external pressure on the Marine investigation. As a result, he was reported by Democratic Party lawmakers. Song previously served as legal counsel for Lee in 2021, when Lee was under investigation for the Deutsche Motors stock manipulation case.
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