Shim arrived at the special investigation office in Gwacheon with a stern expression. He did not respond to reporters' questions about whether he directed prosecutors to be dispatched to the martial law command or what instructions he received from former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae as he entered the office.
The special investigation team is currently questioning Shim as a suspect regarding serious charges related to rebellion.
Shim is accused of considering the dispatch of prosecutors to the joint investigation headquarters following instructions from Park on the day martial law was declared.
Before the declaration of martial law, Park visited the presidential office in Yongsan and returned to the Ministry of Justice after a Cabinet meeting to convene a meeting with senior officials.
According to the investigation, Park instructed ten officials, including the heads of various departments at the Ministry of Justice, to consider dispatching prosecutors to the joint investigation headquarters and also called for a travel ban team.
After the meeting, it was revealed that Park spoke with Shim three times between 11 p.m. on the day of the martial law declaration and the early hours of the following day. The court that previously handled Park's trial also indicated during the proceedings that there were suspicions regarding Shim's involvement in the rebellion.
On June 22, the 33rd Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court, presided over by Judge Lee Jin-gwan, sentenced Park to 25 years in prison for charges including rebellion-related duties, stating that Park had instructed Shim to dispatch personnel, and Shim ensured compliance from the relevant departments.
According to the Prosecutors' Office Act, the Minister of Justice must consult with the Prosecutor General before dispatching prosecutors to external agencies. The court determined that there was sufficient likelihood that Park directed Shim to assist with personnel dispatch.
Previously, the special investigation team led by Jo Eun-seok dismissed allegations against Shim regarding his involvement in the martial law, but the new special investigation team believes there is enough evidence to warrant further investigation.
Given the various allegations, the special investigation team is expected to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the issues raised against Shim.
Additionally, Shim faces charges of abuse of power related to the alleged cover-up of stock manipulation involving Deutsche Motors and the Dior bag scandal linked to Kim Geon-hee.
The special investigation team is also investigating former senior prosecutors, including Lee Chang-soo, the former head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, Jo Sang-won, the former deputy chief prosecutor, and Choi Jae-hoon, the former head of the anti-corruption investigation division, for their involvement in the dismissals of cases under Shim's direction.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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