Seoul police to directly investigate allegation that Han Dong-hoon quashed probe into daughter

[Financial News] Police are launching a full-scale investigation into a case in which a complaint was filed alleging that Han Dong-hoon quashed an investigation into allegations that his daughter had ‘fake credentials’ while he was serving as minister of justice.
According to police and other sources on the 23rd, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency assigned the case to the Metropolitan Criminal Investigation Unit under its Metropolitan Investigation Unit. It plans to question the complainants on the 27th.
Earlier, civic groups including the People's Livelihood Economy Research Institute filed a complaint with the National Office of Investigation against Han and prosecutors suspected of having been involved in quashing the investigation at the time, on charges including abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights, and dereliction of duty.
In November 2022, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Anti-Corruption and Public Crimes Investigation Unit, which was investigating allegations that Han's daughter had ‘fake credentials,’ asked the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office for international legal assistance to obtain evidence overseas related to alleged violations of the Copyright Act. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office did not forward the request to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office of the Republic of Korea and the Ministry of Justice, citing, among other reasons, that the need for legal assistance had not been sufficiently substantiated and that the matter was minor.
The complainants say it should be determined whether Han, who was minister of justice at the time, was involved in this process. They also claim the case was closed without a sufficient investigation into the hours of volunteer work, the circumstances surrounding the awards, and allegations of thesis ghostwriting, among other matters.
Police received a complaint in May 2022 over allegations that Han's daughter had ‘fake credentials,’ including thesis ghostwriting and e-book plagiarism, and investigated the case. In December 2023, they decided not to refer it to prosecutors, citing no suspicion of wrongdoing or lack of prosecutorial authority, among other reasons.

[email protected] Choi Seung-han Reporter