The special counsel team led by Ahn Kwon-seop, which will investigate the "Gwanbong ticket band disposal allegations" and the "pressure allegations in the nonindictment of Coupang severance pay," will hold a signboard unveiling ceremony on the 6th and formally begin its probe.
According to legal sources, Ahn's special counsel will hold a signboard unveiling ceremony at 10 a.m. on the 6th at the special counsel office set up in Seocho-dong, Seoul, and move to open the investigation.
Earlier, the special counsel appointed attorney Kim Gi-uk (Judicial Research and Training Institute class 33) of Jeongnyul Law Firm and attorney Gwon Do-hyeong (first bar exam) of LKB & Partners as assistant special counsels.
From the prosecution, Director Kim Ho-gyeong (class 37), head prosecutor of the Public Investigation Division at the Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office; Jeong Seong-heon (class 39), deputy chief prosecutor at the Busan District Prosecutors' Office; Han Ju-dong (class 40), deputy chief prosecutor at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office; Jang Jin (class 42), prosecutor at the Cheongju District Prosecutors' Office; and Yang Gwi-ho (second bar exam), prosecutor at the Dongbu Branch of the Busan District Prosecutors' Office, were seconded.
Under the special counsel law, a standing special counsel consists of one special counsel, two assistant special counsels, five seconded prosecutors, and up to 30 seconded public officials and 30 special investigators.
The cases Ahn's special counsel will handle are the so-called "Gwanbong ticket band disposal allegations" and the "pressure allegations in the nonindictment of Coupang severance pay." The Gwanbong ticket band disposal allegations concern the loss of ticket bands and stickers for Gwanbong tickets that the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office secured during a search and seizure of the home of Jeon Seong-bae, known as Geonjin, in Dec. last year.
The pressure allegations in the nonindictment of Coupang severance pay involve suspicions that there was outside pressure in the process of disposing of the case without indictment in Apr. regarding unpaid severance pay at Coupang Fulfillment Services (CFS), a logistics subsidiary of Coupang.
This is the second time a standing special counsel has been activated since the "Sewol ferry disaster fact-finding special counsel" in 2021. It is the first time a special counsel investigation has targeted the prosecution's internal affairs.