Seoul prosecution chief indicted over power abuse allegations May 12, 2021
Lee Sung-yoon, chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office, was indicted Wednesday over allegations that he exercised undue influence in 2019 to stop an inquiry into the allegedly illegal exit ban imposed on a former senior official.
The decision by the Suwon District Prosecutors Office came two days after an indictment was recommended by an independent panel created to review the validity of an ongoing investigation into Lee.
Lee is accused of abusing his power in June 2019 to block an investigation into officials involved in the exit ban.
In March 2019, former Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-ui was stopped at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, from leaving the country as prosecutors sought to reinvestigate allegations that he received sexual favors from a local constructor more than a decade ago.
ABCDEFG SEOUL, April 24 (Yonhap) Prosecutors said Saturday they have questioned a presidential secretary over an alleged illegal exit ban imposed on former Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-ui in the first questioning of a presidential official in the case. Lee Kwang-cheol, secretary for civil affairs for President Moon Jae-in, was questioned for about 10 hours and 30 minutes earlier in the day. The secretary is suspected to have told Cha Gyu-geun, commissioner of the Korea Immigration Service, on March 22, 2019, that prosecutor Lee Kyu-won would contact him. The secretary also told prosecutor Lee Kyu-won to stop Kim s departure, saying he already talked with the Justice Ministry over the case.
Posted : 2021-04-18 20:02
Lee Sung-yoon, chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office / Korea Times file
Prosecutors have questioned the chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office over alleged abuse of power in connection with an illegal travel ban imposed against a scandal-ridden senior official two years ago, officials said Sunday.
Lee Sung-yoon was questioned at the Suwon District Prosecutors Office as a suspect on Saturday over allegations that he exercised undue influence in 2019 to bring an end to an investigation into the alleged illegal exit ban imposed on former vice justice minister Kim Hak-ui.
According to the investigation team, Lee was accompanied by his lawyer and was questioned for approximately nine hours. Saturday s probe was conducted following repeated refusals by Lee to comply with subpoenas.
ABCDEFG SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) South Korea s prosecution has busted an international drug cartel and tracked down its drug manufacturing facility in cooperation with Malaysian police, officials said Thursday. The Supreme Prosecutors Office (SPO) said it worked with the customs office to confiscate 16.4 kilograms of methamphetamine shipped into the country from Malaysia in January-March and shared criminal information and drug trafficking methods with Kuala Lumpur s police. Based on the intelligence, Malaysian police apprehended 13 members of an international drug trafficking organization based in its capital. They also seized illicit drugs worth 5.42 billion won (US$4.78 million), including 64 kg of ketamine and 12.2 kg of methamphetamine, as well as the cartel s production facility.