Second Independent Counsel Kwon Chang-young Says Criticism of a ‘Recycled’ Probe Is Misplaced, Vows Thorough Investigation of Remaining Allegations

[Financial News] Second Independent Counsel Kwon Chang-young rejected criticism that his mandate is merely a "recycled" special counsel, and stated that he will thoroughly investigate the remaining allegations handled by the three previous independent counsel teams.
At the press conference held on the morning of the 6th at the lounge of Jipyong Law Firm in Jung District in central Seoul, Kwon was asked by reporters about criticism that his office is simply reinvestigating cases already probed by the three previous independent counsel teams, leading some to label it a "recycled" special counsel.
He responded, "The description of this as a 'recycled' special counsel is inappropriate," adding, "We will not merely follow the path of the previous independent counsel teams, but will reassess everything from a zero-based perspective."
Regarding the scope of the investigation, Kwon said, "The most important targets are the cases related to insurrection, and their scale is vast," and continued, "In consultation with the three previous independent counsel teams, we will carefully review the existing level of investigation and the evidence already secured, and then decide how to proceed based on that review."
Kwon identified thorough fact-finding, strict application of the law, and meticulous maintenance of prosecutions as key tasks for his team.
On that basis, he explained, "We will do our utmost to safeguard the constitutional order and to ensure that justice can flow like a mighty river."
However, he added, "Because we must produce results within a limited time, we will focus on the issues that the public cares about most, and cases we cannot complete will be handed over to the National Office of Investigation (NOI) of the National Police Agency and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO)."
Kwon was appointed at 8:44 p.m. on the 5th and began his duties as special prosecutor. He said he will first concentrate on securing office space for the independent counsel team and will also move quickly to appoint five assistant special prosecutors. Regarding the selection of assistant prosecutors, he noted, "We have reached out through various channels to request candidates." The second independent counsel can operate for up to 170 days, including a 20-day preparation period. The office will have an investigative staff of up to 251 people, including 15 prosecutors. Kwon graduated from the Department of Physics at Seoul National University and passed the bar exam in 1996. He has served at the Seoul Western District Court, the Seoul Administrative Court, the Seoul Southern District Court and the Seoul High Court, and worked as an attorney at Jipyong Law Firm until the 5th. He has extensive experience in labor-related matters, having served as an editorial board member of the Supreme Court Labor Law Practice Research Society, an advisory attorney to the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL), and chair of the Serious Accident Advisory Committee at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF). On the afternoon of the 5th, President Lee Jae-myung appointed then-Jipyong attorney Kwon Chang-young as the second independent counsel under the Act on the Appointment of a Special Counsel to Investigate Insurrection, Foreign Interference and State Capture by Yoon Suk Yeol and Kim Keon-hee.
kyu0705@fnnews.com Reporter Kim Dong-gyu Reporter