Special Prosecutor for Kim Keon-hee Relieves Three Investigators in 'Yangpyeong County Official Death' Case... "Difficult to Conclude Regulation Violations"

[Financial News] The special prosecutor’s team for Kim Keon-hee, led by Min Joong-ki, has decided to relieve three investigators from their posts following an internal inspection related to the Yangpyeong County official who died by suicide during the investigation. The team added that, at this stage, it is difficult to definitively conclude that these investigators violated regulations prohibiting coercive conduct. As complaints have been filed against the three, the team stated that the truth should be revealed through the investigative process.
On the 27th, Deputy Special Prosecutor Park Sang-jin announced the results of the inspection into the death of the Yangpyeong County official, referred to as Mr. A, who died last month.
Immediately after Mr. A’s death on October 10, the special prosecutor’s team began an inquiry led by Deputy Special Prosecutor Hong-Ju Moon, starting on the 13th, to determine the circumstances. Two days later, statements were collected from the four investigators who had questioned Mr. A, and after following the necessary procedures, a formal internal investigation was launched on the 17th by a team of internal investigators.
The team focused its inspection on six areas: violation of limits on prolonged questioning, violation of restrictions on late-night interrogations, breaches related to confidentiality agreements, failure to provide adequate rest periods, violation of the prohibition on coercive conduct, and possible falsification or use of false official documents. The inspection team conducted on-site visits to the interrogation room, interviewed nearby office staff, reviewed CCTV footage from the office, and carried out internal investigations of the responsible investigators to uncover the truth.
The special prosecutor’s team reported that no violations were found in five of the six categories, with the exception of the prohibition on coercive conduct. However, due to the limitations of the internal investigation, the team concluded that it is difficult to definitively determine whether there was a violation of this regulation at this stage. They added that the absence of CCTV in the interrogation room posed a challenge to clarifying the facts. Since the only applicable law is the Special Prosecutor Act for Kim Keon-hee, there is no legal basis for internal inspections or disciplinary action, making it difficult to make a formal judgment.
Deputy Special Prosecutor Park stated, "Until the facts are established through further inspection by the original agency and criminal investigation, three of the investigators, excluding the team leader, will be removed from duty." He continued, "Taking into account the inspection results and the opinions of those involved, we requested on the 1st of next month that the three investigators be relieved from their assignments."
Immediately after Mr. A’s death, the special prosecutor’s team stated, "Through CCTV, we indirectly confirmed that there was no coercive investigation, as Mr. A was seen being escorted." However, the team reversed its position just a month and a half later. A team official explained, "At that time, we were sharing what Deputy Special Prosecutor in charge had confirmed with the team. The subsequent full internal investigation revealed new facts, which accounts for the difference." The official added, "When the investigative team initially checked, no threatening situations or atmosphere were found during the escort."
The team also explained why the team leader was excluded from the three investigators removed from duty. According to the team, the four investigators had varying degrees of involvement in the questioning, and this was taken into account in their decisions. While the team leader holds overall responsibility, it was determined that their involvement was less than that of the other three.
The special prosecutor’s team did not specify what actions the three investigators took during the investigation of Mr. A. A team official stated, "It is difficult to say there is sufficient evidence regarding coercive conduct, and the investigators were removed from duty as a precaution in light of the problematic situation." The team did not clarify whether the three engaged in coercive conduct. Since complaints have been filed and the investigators have been booked, the team intends to leave the judgment to the investigative authorities. Should there be an internal police inspection, a formal investigation, or a review by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK), the team will individually consider whether to cooperate with document submissions.
The special prosecutor’s team also announced the results of a review conducted on the entire investigation team following the incident. While no other issues were found, the team identified procedural shortcomings in obtaining consent forms for late-night interrogations and took corrective action. One of the deputy special prosecutors was designated as a human rights officer, and a system was established to require approval for late-night questioning.
Despite the removal of the three investigators, the special prosecutor’s team plans to continue its investigation into alleged preferential treatment in the Gongheung District development in Yangpyeong County without additional personnel. Since the removed investigators had not participated in the investigation since the internal inspection began, the team expects to complete the probe without any staffing shortages.
Meanwhile, the special prosecutor’s team clarified that its recent discussions with the Special Prosecutor Team for Insurrection and Treason, which is investigating messages between Kim Keon-hee and former Minister of Justice Park Sung-jae, were only for the purpose of understanding the situation. Although the team had previously stated that the meeting was to coordinate investigative scopes, it changed its explanation the following day. A team official said, "There may be areas of overlap in the investigations, and we only sought to understand how the insurrection special prosecutor’s team is proceeding. If there are subjects for investigation by the Kim Keon-hee special prosecutor, we will request materials through proper procedures."
theknight@fnnews.com Jung Kyung-soo Reporter