Prosecutor General says, ‘Investigation into First Lady fails to uphold principle of no sanctuary’

Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok.

Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok has admitted that the Seoul Central District Prosecutors‘ Office’s investigation into First Lady Kim Keon-hee was actually a "privilege." After receiving a report from Lee Chang-soo, the head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, Lee ordered the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's Inspection Division to find out the truth.

“I have told the people several times that there are no exceptions, preferences, or sanctuaries before the law, but these principles were not observed during the investigation of the president‘s wife,” Lee told reporters on his way to work on July 22, adding, ”I deeply apologize to the people.”

The Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office investigated Kim's alleged stock price manipulation and violation of the anti-graft law on the 20th behind closed doors at a third location other than the prosecutor’s office. In the process, Lee was apparently not informed in advance of the manner, location, and timing of the investigation, leading some to suggest that the Seoul Central District Prosecutor‘s Office actually “ignored” the prosecutor general, who has the final say.

“I did not receive any reports from the frontline prosecutors’ offices,” Lee said. “I am also responsible for not leading the frontline prosecutors’ offices properly. I will do everything in my power to ensure that the constitutional principle of ‘all citizens are equal before the law’ is realized in the remaining investigations and disposition of cases in the future.”

Later in the day, Lee met with Lee Chang-soo, the head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, to brief him on the investigation into Kim. Lee reprimanded Lee, who reportedly apologized several times, saying, "I'm sorry."

Prosecutor General Lee ordered the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office to investigate why the Central District Prosecutors' Office investigation team summoned Kim to a third place.

Earlier, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office explained that the stock manipulation case should not have been reported to Lee because then-Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae ruled out the prosecutor general‘s authority to lead the investigation in October 2020, and that the case of receiving a luxury bag, which was obligated to report to Lee, was not reported in advance because it was unsure whether it could be investigated.

The impact of “ignoring Prosecutor General” is expected to continue. Earlier this month, Lee verbally requested Justice Minister Park Sung-jae to restore his authority to lead the investigation into the Deutsch Motors’ stock price manipulation case, but was reportedly rejected.

After Lee reportedly ordered to find the truth of the investigation, it was confirmed that Kim Kyung-mok, a deputy chief prosecutor assigned to the Criminal Division 1 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office‘s Fair Trade Investigation Division to investigate Kim’s alleged acceptance of a luxury bag, resigned.

The Supreme Prosecutors‘ Office is expected to decide on additional measures, including disciplinary action, based on the results of the fact-finding investigation. Some say that Lee's fact-finding mission to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office also contains context on the possibility of disciplinary action.

※This article has undergone review by a professional translator after being translated by an AI translation tool.