Police investigating rumors about presidential chief of staff
Presidential chief of staff Kim Dae-ki / Yonhap
Police are investigating rumors being circulated online about presidential chief of staff Kim Dae-ki's alleged interference in a private company's personnel reshuffle and other suspicions, officials said Sunday.
The cybercrime bureau of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency launched the probe after a formal complaint was lodged seeking an investigation into the person responsible for spreading the rumors in a mobile message, officials said.
"We are investigating the case. We cannot disclose details," a police official said.
The message reportedly contains suspicions that Kim used his influence to interfere in the personnel reshuffle at a private company and that he deliberately overlooked the low chance of South Korea winning its bid for hosting the 2030 World Expo.
In the complaint, Kim said the rumors are clearly false and requested the person who initially spread the message be probed on possible defamation charges, the police said. (Yonhap)