Prosecutors on the 24th are searching and seizing the office of the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC) in connection with allegations that former Chairperson Ryu Hee-rim disadvantaged a public interest whistleblower.
The Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office said that morning, "We are conducting searches and seizures of the KCSC and other locations over former Chairperson Ryu's alleged violation of the Conflict of Interest Prevention Act."
Earlier, in Jul., police transferred the case to prosecutors in connection with allegations that the former Chairperson Ryu disadvantaged a public interest whistleblower who exposed the "orchestrated civil complaints" suspicion.
The orchestrated civil complaints suspicion is that in Sep. 2023, while the KCSC was deliberating on Newstapa's report on the "Kim Man-bae–Shin Hak-rim false interview" and subsequent citation reports, former Chairperson Ryu mobilized family and acquaintances to file more than 100 civil complaints. Afterward, former Chairperson Ryu also faced allegations that an internal audit was conducted on the grounds that complainants' personal information had been leaked.
Meanwhile, in Jul., police also sent to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office former KCSC Head of Team Tak Dong-sam; KCSC labor union Secretary-General Ji Kyung-gyu; and KCSC employee A, who reported the orchestrated civil complaints suspicion to the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission. Former Head of Team Tak and Secretary-General Ji face allegations of violating the Personal Information Protection Act by tipping off the media about former Chairperson Ryu's orchestrated civil complaints suspicion. Secretary-General Ji and A also face allegations of violating the Information and Communications Network Act.