Prosecutor General: ‘Principles not followed in investigation of Mrs. Kim’

Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok has publicly apologized, stating that "principles were not followed" in the secret investigation of Mrs. Kim Kun Hee by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. He criticized the prosecution team for investigating without prior reporting and issued a public apology. The Presidential Office reacted strongly, claiming, "The Prosecutor General is trying to engage in politics."

"I have always emphasized that there should be no exceptions, sanctuaries, or privileges before the law. However, these principles were not upheld during the investigation of the First Lady, and as a result, we failed to keep our promise to the public," Lee told reporters at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office on Monday. "Although I did not receive any reports from the local prosecution office, it is entirely my responsibility for not leading them properly."

Lee also stated, "I will do my utmost in my current capacity, and if that proves insufficient, I will reconsider my position," Lee said, implying that he does not intend to resign immediately.

The investigation team from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office reported the investigation of Mrs. Kim, conducted at the Presidential Security Service's annex in Jongno-gu, Seoul, to the prosecutor general only after 10 hours, sparking controversy over bypassing him. On Monday morning, after receiving a report from Chief Prosecutor Lee Chang-soo of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office that the investigation was conducted as a closed meeting based on internal judgment, Prosecutor General Lee ordered an internal inspection to investigate the truth. Chief Prosecutor Lee reportedly apologized to Prosecutor General Lee for the delayed report, regardless of the circumstances.

The presidential office refrained from making an official statement, calling it "an internal matter of the prosecution." However, there was internal dissatisfaction with Prosecutor General Lee's remarks. "Whether there was a report or not is an internal matter of the prosecution,” a senior official from the presidential office said in a phone call with The Dong-A Ilbo. “I don't understand why the prosecutor general keeps raising issues when the investigation was conducted according to regulations."


Dong-Jun Heo hungry@donga.com