The Special Prosecutor's Office, led by Kwon Chang-young, is accelerating its final decisions with less than a week remaining before the investigation deadline. Indictments are expected this week for key figures, including Kim Geon-hee, the wife of President Yoon Suk-yeol, and Yoon Han-hong, a current lawmaker from the ruling People Power Party.
According to legal sources on August 17, the Special Prosecutor is anticipated to indict around five individuals, including Kim Geon-hee, Yoon Han-hong, and Kim Tae-young, the CEO of 21gram, in connection with allegations of favoritism regarding the relocation of the presidential residence.
Kim Geon-hee is accused of facilitating the awarding of contracts for renovations to 21gram, an unqualified company, in exchange for receiving luxury clothing from brands like Dior, under charges of bribery and abuse of power.
Yoon Han-hong faces allegations of improper involvement in the selection of 21gram. His team has categorically denied the accusations.
Indictments related to individuals involved in the alleged cover-up of stock manipulation investigations concerning Deutsche Motors, which were initially expected last week, have been postponed. A Special Prosecutor official explained, "The delay is due to uncertainty about the scope of those to be indicted."
The Special Prosecutor has charged former Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung with abuse of power, while former Seoul Central District Prosecutor Lee Chang-soo and former Anti-Corruption Investigation Division Chief Choi Jae-hoon face charges of forgery and violations of the Anti-Bribery Act. Former Deputy Chief Prosecutor Seo Min-seok, who was part of the investigation team, is also charged with forgery, and former Gongju District Prosecutor Kim Min-goo faces charges under the Anti-Bribery Act.
Hwang Yu-seong, the former head of the Military Counterintelligence Command, and Moon Yeon-cheol, the former head of the Marine Corps Counterintelligence Unit, are also expected to be indicted this week. They are accused of concealing the so-called "VIP (presidential) anger" in the handling of the death of Corporal Chae. The Special Prosecutor plans to proceed with indictments without reapplying for arrest warrants.
Additionally, the Special Prosecutor has decided to indict Hong Jang-won, a former deputy director of the National Intelligence Service who was a whistleblower on insurrection, and Cho Sung-hyun, a former commander of the Army's Capital Defense Command, who resisted unconstitutional orders to prevent the deployment of follow-up units to the National Assembly.
Hong was not a target during the Insurrection Special Investigation led by Special Prosecutor Cho Eun-seok but was charged after the launch of the Special Prosecutor's Office, and he denies all allegations. Cho is not charged, as the Insurrection Special Prosecutor determined that he had actively instructed his subordinate units not to cross the Seogang Bridge, thereby eliminating the illegal situation he had caused.
Regarding the allegations related to the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway, there are reports of internal disagreements within the Special Prosecutor's Office regarding the handling of former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong.
A Special Prosecutor official stated, "With only a few days left in the investigation, it is uncertain whether we can effectively summon him again. There are differing opinions on whether to handle it directly or refer it to another investigative agency."
It is understood that the charges against former Deputy Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Baek Won-guk, who is also implicated in the same allegations, will be referred to another investigative agency.
The Special Prosecutor has indicted a current police officer for leaking investigation information to officials at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The officer, identified as A, was indicted without detention on charges of leaking official secrets and violating the Kim Geon-hee Special Investigation Act (obstruction of investigation) on July 7.
A is accused of assisting in the destruction of evidence by informing a Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport official under investigation about the progress of the investigation, including search and seizure operations, last October.
The investigation into allegations that the Yoon Suk-yeol administration intervened in the investigation of the Ssangbul North Korea remittance case has reportedly been stagnant since June.
In the legal community, there are concerns that the Special Prosecutor's Office may be overreaching its authority by pursuing indictments in cases that are legally contentious.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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