[Anchor]
The second special prosecution team has opened a full-scale investigation and barred Prosecutor Park Sang-yong from leaving the country on suspicion of attempting to influence testimony in the Ssangbangwool alleged North Korea remittance case.
At the same time, controversy has erupted after a deputy special prosecutor appeared on an online live broadcast and discussed aspects of the ongoing investigation.
This is Lee Dong-hoon.
[Reporter]
The second special prosecution team has formally named Prosecutor Park Sang-yong a suspect in the Ssangbangwool North Korea remittance case on charges of witness tampering.
Civic groups had previously filed complaints against Park, and the special prosecution has stepped up its probe, including imposing a travel ban.
Park is accused of, while serving at the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, pressuring former Gyeonggi Deputy Governor for Peace Lee Hwa-young to give testimony harmful to President Lee Jae-myung.
The prosecutors who worked on the case at the time have voiced objections.
On his Facebook page, Park criticized the special prosecution, saying it is helping to create a public narrative that would facilitate dismissal of charges. Hong Seung-wook, the former Suwon District Chief Prosecutor who led the original investigation, said the attacks on Park are clearly retaliatory — punishment for an investigation that displeased certain parties.
Meanwhile, the deputy special prosecutor’s appearance on an internet broadcast to describe the probe’s targets and status while the investigation is ongoing has prompted criticism.
Deputy Special Prosecutor Kim Ji-mi granted an exclusive interview on broadcaster Kim Eo-jun’s channel, a program generally regarded as progressive.
The appearance was unusual: previous special prosecutors typically avoided individual media appearances until an investigation concluded.
“Kim Ji-mi / Deputy Special Prosecutor, 2nd Special Prosecution (Kim Eo-jun’s ‘Humility Is Hard’ News Factory / Jeong Jun-hee’s program)” she said they are investigating allegations that, during the Yoon administration, the Ssangbangwool remittance case was manufactured, reported to the presidential office, and developed further based on instructions from the presidential office.
Asked whether former President Yoon Suk Yeol could be summoned, she said investigators are building the case and suggested that people “may soon see the scene you’re hoping for.”
By publicly discussing an ongoing, politically sensitive investigation, the special prosecution team is likely to face criticism over its neutrality and fairness.
This is Lee Dong-hoon of Yonhap News TV.
[Video editing: Kim Chan]
[Graphics: Lee Ye-ji]
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Lee Dong-hoon (yigiza@yna.co.kr)
