After prosecutors declined to pursue supplemental investigations into allegations that former President Moon Jae-in’s wife, Kim Jung-sook, used Blue House special activity funds to purchase clothing—effectively clearing her—the accuser filed criminal charges accusing the prosecutors of distorting the law.
The Committee for the Protection of Ordinary Citizens’ Livelihoods (Seominwi) said on March 30 that it filed a complaint with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency accusing Park Cheol-woo, chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, and Lee Ju-hee, head of its Criminal Division 2, of distorting the law, abusing their authority, and dereliction of duty.
Seominwi said the prosecutors reached a no-prosecution conclusion without summoning Kim and called the outcome “a blatant decision that appears to pander to power.”
Seominwi first accused Kim in 2022, alleging she used Blue House special activity funds to buy clothing during Moon’s presidency and filed a complaint at that time.
Police concluded there were no grounds for charges in July of last year, but prosecutors asked in October that the police reopen the investigation.
After a three-month reinvestigation, the police again declined to refer the case for prosecution.
On March 23, Criminal Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office returned the case files and evidence to the police without requesting a referral, signaling that prosecutors found no grounds to charge Kim.
