The second special prosecutor team investigating allegations of a cover-up regarding the audit of the presidential office has charged two former officials from the Board of Audit and Inspection with distorting and tampering with evidence to maintain the original audit conclusions.
On August 19, the special prosecutors announced the non-custodial indictment of Choi, the former head of the Administrative Safety Audit Bureau, and Son, the former first section chief of the bureau.
This indictment focuses on actions taken to uphold the previous audit conclusions even after the Audit Committee's decision to 'suspend' the audit. The earlier indictment of Yoon Byeong-ho, the former secretary general of the Board, involved actions taken before the Audit Committee's suspension decision on May 10, 2024.
According to the special prosecutors, during the first meeting, the Audit Committee instructed the Board's chairman to conduct interviews with relevant parties to clarify suspicions that 21gram, the contractor for the presidential office renovation, was solely responsible for the project.
However, it was found that Choi and Son began drafting an audit report with conclusions similar to the original before conducting any interviews. Despite key testimonies being retracted regarding how a company lent its name to 21gram, the two allegedly coordinated statements among the audit subjects to maintain the original conclusions.
Evidence of distortion and tampering was also confirmed. Son is accused of preparing a questionnaire and confirmation document that differed from the actual statements of the 21gram representative and site manager, then registering them in the electronic audit system. The special prosecutors have charged Son with neglect of duty and the creation and use of false public documents.
Choi is accused of abusing his authority in June 2024 by instructing the exclusion of violations related to Article 16, Paragraph 1 of the Construction Industry Basic Act from the audit report. He faces charges of obstructing the exercise of authority.
Both Choi and Son are also charged with obstructing the Audit Committee's duties by providing distorted evidence and audit reports that did not reflect the actual situation.
The special prosecutors confirmed that they manipulated the assignment of lead auditors by continuously checking the status of assignments in relevant departments, ensuring that their preferred auditors were assigned. They utilized the basic trust that audit committee members had in the audit team to conceal the evidence tampering and achieve their desired conclusions. Both individuals face charges of obstructing public duties.
Son is also accused of leaking internal information during the audit process. In April 2023, under Yoon's direction, he sent a written inquiry to the 21gram representative, detailing the evidence obtained by the audit team and their assessments. In November of the same year, he allegedly leaked parts of the final audit report to a staff member dispatched from the presidential office. The special prosecutors have charged Son with leaking official secrets.
However, the special prosecutors decided not to charge the audit staff and presidential office personnel who participated in the crimes under the direction of Choi, Son, and Yoon.
The special prosecutors plan to relay the necessary improvements identified in the Board's internal systems during the investigation. A spokesperson stated, "We will do our utmost to ensure that appropriate sentences are imposed on the defendants in the future."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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