By Yun Suh-young
The prosecution indicted a trainee prosecutor Monday for having sex with a suspect he was questioning last month.
An inspection team at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office said it decided to indict the 30-year-old prosecutor without detention for abusing his status to receive sex.
“Having sex with a suspect who pleaded for mercy in a case should be criticized because it violated a public servant’s responsibility to be fair,” the prosecution said.
The prosecution had requested arrest warrants for Jeon, the accused prosecutor, on Nov. 25 and Nov. 27 for allegedly receiving sex as a form of bribery. However, the court refused to issue them on Nov. 26 and Nov. 29.
This time, the prosecution added “abuse of power” charges to the original bribery charges.
If only the bribery charges were applied, this could be deemed controversial because it implies the female suspect voluntarily provided sex as bribery. When the abuse of power is added, however, it means that the prosecutor used his power to receive sex.
The prosecution had weighed between applying “physical assault and harsh treatment” charges or “bribery and abuse of power” charges until the last moment.
The inspection headquarters of the prosecution also ordered a severe reprimand to be recorded against Jeon and decided to hold Jeon’s superiors responsible for negligence and lax supervision of their subordinates.
Jeon, who was a trainee prosecutor dispatched to the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office, performed sexual acts with a 42-year-old female suspect who was charged with theft, in his office on Nov. 10. Two days later the two had sex in a motel.
The prosecution decided not to book the woman involved.