CIO clears Special Counsel Min Joung-kie in 'alleged suppression of probe into Family Federation for World Peace and Unification cash gifts' (1st report)

[Financial News]  The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) issued a disposition of no charges against officials of the Kim Keon Hee Special Prosecutor Team, led by Special Counsel Min Joung-kie, who were accused of failing to immediately refer the case to another investigative agency despite securing testimony related to allegations that the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification provided money or valuables to political circles.
A CIO official said at a regular briefing held on the 29th at Government Complex Gwacheon, "Yesterday, we issued a disposition of no charges due to insufficient evidence against the suspects, including the special counsel, who were accused of failing to make the necessary referral of the case related to allegations that the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification provided money or valuables to political circles."
According to the CIO, the investigative team of the Special Prosecutor for Kim Keon-hee secured testimony during an interview with a former headquarters chief of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification in August last year indicating that money or valuables had been provided to some politicians.
The prosecutor in charge compiled the details into an interview report, and the report was found to have been submitted to the special counsel after being circulated internally within the investigative team. However, the team at the time was found to have taken no investigative action other than filing the interview report in the case records.
The CIO focused its investigation on whether this response constituted dereliction of duty under the Criminal Act.
Dereliction of duty is established when a public official refuses to perform official duties or abandons them without justifiable reason. Under Supreme Court of Korea precedent, a mere delay in carrying out duties or a mistake made during the performance of work is insufficient; the official must be deemed to have consciously abandoned the duty.
Based on this legal principle, the CIO investigated the decision-making and case-handling processes of the special counsel's investigative team at the time.
[email protected] Yoo Seon-jun Reporter