Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor, Fourth Investigation of Cho Tae-yong... Lee Jong-ho's 'Discarded Phone' Secured and Close Associate Investigated

[Financial News] The Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Team (Lee Myung-hyun Special Prosecutor) is focusing on investigating the circumstances of 'investigation pressure' from the presidential office by summoning Cho Tae-yong, former National Security Office Director, and Lim Ki-hoon, former Defense Secretary, again on the 20th. Additionally, the special prosecutor has secured the discarded mobile phone of Lee Jong-ho, former Black Pearl Invest CEO, which was destroyed immediately after a search and seizure, and is investigating the close associate who assisted in this.
Jung Min-young, Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor, stated in a regular briefing that day that they are continuing to investigate whether there was any investigation pressure related to the Chae Sang-byeong case by summoning former Director Cho and former Secretary Lim for additional questioning.
The special prosecutor team will summon Kim Dong-hyuk, former head of the Ministry of National Defense's Prosecutor's Office, for the sixth time in the afternoon. Former Director Kim is suspected of being involved in the process of retrieving the initial investigation results transferred to the police and re-investigating the case. In the morning, the special prosecutor is investigating Yeom Bo-hyun, a military prosecutor, who is accused of targeted investigation and prosecution of Park Jung-hoon, head of the Marine Corps Investigation Team (Colonel), and plans to additionally investigate Yoo Jae-eun, former legal officer of the Ministry of National Defense, who was in contact with the presidential office and others at each stage of the investigation pressure.
The special prosecutor is also tracking the circumstances related to the discarded mobile phone of Lee, the key figure in the rescue lobby allegations. Special Prosecutor Jung stated, "We confirmed that Lee, along with close associate A, destroyed evidence at Han River Park after the search and seizure on July 10," and explained, "We conducted another search and seizure at A's couple's residence and seized several mobile phones."
He also stated, "A is very close to Lee, and during the search and seizure at their residence, we confirmed that the couple was creating an alibi related to Lee's violation of the Attorney-at-Law Act," and added, "We have recognized A's evidence destruction charges and booked them as a suspect, and the investigation into Lee's rescue lobby allegations will continue."
A and others are accused of breaking the mobile phone by stomping on it and discarding it in a trash can by the Han River. The special prosecutor has booked A as a suspect and is investigating the circumstances of the disposal, and forensic analysis of the damaged mobile phone is also underway. The special prosecutor suspects that A and the couple assisted in creating an alibi for Lee in relation to the Attorney-at-Law Act violation case.
The Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Team is focusing on A's evidence destruction charges, stating, "We are confirming what materials or information A received from Lee in relation to the rescue lobby allegations." The Attorney-at-Law Act violation case involving Lee is being investigated by the Kim Geon-hee Special Prosecutor Team (Min Joong-ki Special Prosecutor).
The rescue lobby allegations involve Lee, known as a close associate of Kim Geon-hee, attempting to influence the investigation to prevent former Division Commander Lim from being punished by working with members of the 'Stylish Marines' group chat room through Kim.
Meanwhile, the special prosecutor team has summoned the former battalion commander who ordered the underwater search the day before Chae Marine's death to reconstruct the situation at that time.
 



scottchoi15@fnnews.com Choi Eun-sol Reporter