The special counsel team for Kim Keon-hee (special counsel Min Joong-ki) was accused over alleged "biased investigation" in the Unification Church lobbying case involving politicians, and police have transferred the case to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO).
The Korean National Police Agency's special task force said in a notice to the press on the 17th, "We transferred, in accordance with relevant regulations, the complaint alleging dereliction of duty against Special Counsel Min Joong-ki and unidentified prosecutors."
It was conveyed that the reason for handing over the case was that a prosecutor seconded to the special counsel team was among those accused.
Article 25, Paragraph 2 of the CIO Act mandates that when an investigative agency other than the CIO discovers suspected crimes by a prosecutor, it must transfer the case to the CIO.
However, police said, "Whether the CIO accepts the transfer of the complaint should be decided through an authoritative interpretation."
On the 11th, the People Power Party filed a complaint with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency accusing Special Counsel Min Joong-ki and the investigation team of dereliction of duty, saying the Kim Keon-hee special counsel failed to properly investigate even after hearing testimony that politicians from the Democratic Party of Korea received money or valuables from the Unification Church side.