Investigator denies leaking information about presidential aide
By Kang Seung-woo
Lee Seok-soo
An investigator looking into corruption allegations involving Woo Byung-woo, senior civil affairs secretary for President Park Geun-hye, denied a media report that he had illegally leaked details of the investigation to a reporter, Wednesday.
Local broadcaster MBC reported Tuesday that Lee Seok-soo ― the independent inspector general who mainly deals with corruption cases involving the President’s relatives and aides ― shared the progress of an ongoing investigation into Woo with a reporter through a messaging app. The broadcaster said it obtained the messages Lee exchanged with the reporter, without revealing the names of the reporter or the app.
Under the law, Lee is forbidden from leaking information about investigations before they are closed. A violation could bring a jail term of up to five years.
“I have never contacted the media and revealed something about the investigation through an app,” Lee said in a statement, urging MBC to identify the reporter and the app.
Lee said that he will complete the investigation into Woo “unwaveringly.”
According to the MBC report, the investigator told a reporter that his investigation is pointing to Woo’s son and Jeonggang, a company run by Woo’s family.
Woo is suspected of helping his son get special treatment during military service, while his family is believed to have set up the company to minimize their tax payments.
Cheong Wa Dae remains cautious over the issue, saying that Lee is an independent investigator, so it has nothing to say about the report.
Opposition parties called for appointing a special prosecutor to clear a series of allegations involving Woo.
“Prosecutors have shown little effort to uncover the truth of his case and the presidential investigator cannot either, so we should have the accusations investigated by a special prosecutor,” said Rep. Woo Sang-ho, the floor leader of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea, in a party meeting.
Rep. Park Jie-won, the floor leader of the minor opposition People’s Party, raised a conspiracy theory, aimed at hindering Lee’s investigation.
“It is doubtful that such detailed records were obtained and reported,” he said
“I wonder if Big Brother is beginning its reign of terror in order to protect Woo.”
On Tuesday, President Park Geun-hye replaced three ministers and four vice minister-level officials, but kept the embattled Woo in place.