Prosecution Declines to Indict Acting Police Chief Yoo Jaesung and Lawmaker Shin Jeonghun Accused by Lee Jinsook

Abuse of authority charges dismissed as "no suspicion"... appeal filed by Lee Jinsook's side

The prosecution has decided not to indict Yoo Jaesung, acting Commissioner General of the National Police Agency, and Shin Jeonghun, a lawmaker of the Democratic Party of Korea, who were accused by former Korea Communications Commission Chairwoman Lee Jinsook.

The Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office announced on the 10th that on December 9 last year it issued a "no suspicion" decision regarding the abuse of authority allegations against Acting Commissioner General Yoo and Assemblyman Shin.

In August last year, former Chairwoman Lee filed a complaint against Assemblyman Shin on the allegation that, during a full session of the National Assembly Public Administration and Security Committee, he had asked Acting Commissioner General Yoo to conduct an arrest investigation of her. She later filed a complaint on the same charge against Acting Commissioner General Yoo as well, claiming that he instructed the head of the National Office of Investigation to conduct a prompt investigation into her case.

Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office, Mapo District, Seoul. Yonhap News

At the time she filed the complaint, former Chairwoman Lee was under police investigation on charges including breach of trust in the course of duty, for allegedly causing damage to the company by using a corporate credit card for private purposes while serving as president of Daejeon MBC from March 2015 to January 2018. This followed a complaint filed against her in July 2024 by Democratic Party lawmakers on the National Assembly's Science, ICT, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee.

In connection with this, during the Public Administration and Security Committee meeting on August 5 last year, Assemblyman Shin said to Acting Commissioner General Yoo, "I believe you should promptly carry out a compulsory investigation, and if any criminal suspicion is revealed, you should not hesitate to proceed with an immediate arrest investigation." In response, Acting Commissioner General Yoo replied, "I will instruct the National Office of Investigation to conduct a prompt investigation."

Former Chairwoman Lee's side filed an appeal on the 7th of last month, challenging the prosecution's decision not to indict.