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| Senior presidential secretary for civil affairs Woo Byung-woo, left, looks on during a secretariat meeting presided over by President Park Geun-hye in Cheong Wa Dae, Monday. The prosecution raided a company run by Woo's family as part of its widening investigation into his alleged embezzlement, breach of trust and abuse of authority. / Korea Times photo by Koh Young-kwon |
Independent investigator offers to resign
By Lee Kyung-min
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| Independent presidential investigator Lee Seok-soo is surrounded by reporters outside his office in Jongno, downtown Seoul, Monday, after offering to resign following the prosecution's raid of his office earlier in the day over his alleged leak of information about his investigation of Woo Byung-woo, senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, to a journalist. / Yonhap |
Prosecutors also raided the office of Lee Seok-soo, an independent presidential investigator, who allegedly leaked information about his then-ongoing inspection of Woo to a journalist. Hours after the raid, Lee tendered his resignation.
A team of special investigators under the Supreme Prosecutors' Office raided a total of eight locations over multiple allegations involving Woo, including the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA) office and a Nexon Korea office. The investigators seized computer hard drives and accounting journals.
Regarding suspicions involving Lee, they seized cell phones belonging to Lee and the unidentified journalist to review records of their phone conversations.
The raids came six days after the special team opened investigations into both Woo and Lee.
Woo faces allegations that he and his family embezzled tens of millions of won from the family-run company, Jeonggang, in paying the lease fee of a luxury vehicle, a Maserati, and telecommunication fees between 2014 and 2015.
The raid of the SMPA followed allegations that Woo peddled his influence to have his son serve at an easy post while carrying out his mandatory military service with the police.
Woo's son, who initially served as a security officer at the government complex in central Seoul, was transferred and assigned to be the driver for SMPA's vice head Lee Sang-cheol. It is also alleged that his son received preferential treatment in scheduling leave.
Prosecutors also raided Nexon for the allegation that the gaming company purchased real estate in southern Seoul from Woo's in-laws at above market price.
On Aug. 18 after investigating Woo, Lee asked the prosecution to begin a formal investigation of the presidential secretary's alleged embezzlement, breach of trust and abuse of authority.
However, Lee also came under the prosecution's scrutiny after a local broadcaster at MBC reported that he leaked detailed information regarding his investigation to a journalist of an unidentified news outlet. According to the report, Lee told the journalist that the investigation was pointing to Woo's son and Jeonggang, and he would ask the prosecution to investigate.
Lee initially refused to step down, denying the leak allegation. Hours after the raid on his office, however, Lee offered to resign, saying that he is unable to carry out his duty as investigator under the current circumstances.
Leaking information about an ongoing investigation by an independent presidential inspector is an illegal act punishable by five years in prison or suspension of duty for five years.
Two days after the MBC report, a civic group filed a complaint against Lee for allegedly divulging information about the investigation to the public.
Investigators plan to question the MBC reporter who aired the story, as well as the unidentified journalist who is believed to have spoken to Lee.
Following the alleged leak, President Park Geun-hye criticized only Lee, while keeping silent on the mounting pressure for Woo to resign.
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