CIO Investigates Former Unification Church Executive Yoon Young-ho Amid Allegations of Bias in Kim Keon Hee Special Prosecutor Team’s Probe

[Financial News] The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) interviewed former Unification Church World Headquarters executive Yoon Young-ho at a detention center as part of its investigation into alleged bias by the Kim Keon Hee Special Prosecutor Team (led by Special Prosecutor Min Joong-ki).
A CIO official announced during a briefing at Government Complex Gwacheon on the morning of the 23rd, "As of around 9:35 a.m. today, Mr. Yoon is being questioned as a reference witness at Seoul Detention Center."
The CIO is investigating suspicions that the special prosecutor team failed to investigate for over four months, despite receiving testimony last August from Yoon Young-ho that Chun Jae-soo and other Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) lawmakers were lobbied. The charges under review include dereliction of duty. Previously, the Special Investigation Task Force of the National Police Agency, which received a complaint regarding these allegations from the People Power Party, transferred the case to the CIO in accordance with the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials Act (CIO Act).
It has been determined that Yoon, the former executive, testified to the special prosecutor team that between 2018 and 2020, he provided two luxury watches and tens of millions of won to former Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Chun Jae-soo as a form of lobbying to resolve issues related to the Japan–Korea Undersea Tunnel and other church matters.
However, the special prosecutor team did not launch an investigation at the time, merely recording the information in a report. It was only in early last month that a preliminary case number was assigned, with authorities considering whether those involved could be charged with bribery or violations of the Political Funds Act.
The CIO has also left open the possibility of summoning Special Prosecutor Min Joong-ki, who oversees the special prosecutor team, for questioning. When asked during the briefing whether a date had been set for Min Joong-ki’s summons, a CIO official responded, "That is a matter for the investigative team to decide," adding, "At this stage, it is not appropriate to comment on whether a summons will take place."
kyu0705@fnnews.com Kim Dong-gyu Reporter