The CIO questioned Board of Audit and Inspection Chairman Choi Jae-hae in connection with allegations that, under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, the Board of Audit and Inspection carried out a targeted audit of Jeon Hyun-hee of the Democratic Party of Korea.
The CIO's First Investigation Division (Chief Prosecutor Na Chang-su) said on the 20th that it summoned and questioned Chairman Choi on the 18th in connection with investigations including the "alleged targeted audit of the anti-corruption commission chair."
During the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, the Board of Audit and Inspection faced allegations that it conducted an unlawful special audit to pressure the then Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission chair, now a lawmaker, to resign.
Earlier, in Dec. 2022, the lawmaker filed a complaint with the CIO against Chairman Choi and then-Secretary General Yoo Byung-ho (now an auditor), among six people, on charges including abuse of authority to obstruct the exercise of rights, saying the Board of Audit and Inspection "began a targeted audit to pressure me to resign based on a false tipoff."
In particular, Auditor Yoo faces allegations that he was involved in the unlawful special audit process with the aim of ousting the lawmaker.
In Sept. 2023, the CIO searched and seized the Board of Audit and Inspection and other locations, and summoned Auditor Yoo and officials from the Board of Audit and Inspection and the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission for questioning.
Meanwhile, in Dec. last year, the National Assembly passed an impeachment motion against Chairman Choi, citing "undermining the independence of the Board of Audit and Inspection." It was the first time in constitutional history that the head of a constitutional agency, the Board of Audit and Inspection chairman, faced impeachment.
However, on Mar. 13, the Constitutional Court unanimously dismissed the impeachment against Chairman Choi. After the dismissal, Chairman Choi returned to work 98 days after the impeachment motion passed.