The permanent special counsel, currently investigating allegations of squashing a probe into Coupang and unpaid severance, summoned prosecutor Um Hee-jun of the Gwangju High Prosecutors' Office on the 9th as a suspect.
Starting around 10 a.m. that day, the special counsel summoned Um as a suspect on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of another's rights and is under investigation. Since the launch of the special counsel, this is the first time the key suspect, Um, has been summoned.
Appearing for questioning that day, Um denied all allegations of external pressure on the investigation. Um said, "Director General Moon Ji-seok's claim that there was outside pressure during the investigation is a one-sided falsehood," and added, "Objective physical evidence remains in the prosecution's computer system that shows there was no pressure at the time of the report on Apr. 18 last year." This is an explanation to the effect that there is an electronic record indicating Moon's views were fully reviewed.
Um continued, "The disposition at the time was the best conclusion," adding, "The lead prosecutor's view was no charges from the start, and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office likewise directed in the same vein."
The special counsel believes that in early last year, when Um was serving as head of the Bucheon District Prosecutors' Office, he pressured Director General Moon, who was investigating Coupang's alleged violations of the Employee Retirement Benefit Security Act, to issue a nonindictment. According to the special counsel's findings, in Feb. this year Um is suspected of bypassing Director General Moon and instructing the lead prosecutor to "finalize a no-suspicion opinion by Mar. 7, 2025."
The special counsel also believes that between Mar. and Apr. last year, Um instructed the lead prosecutor to exclude key evidence, including the results of executing a search and seizure warrant, from the report to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office. In fact, a report with key evidence omitted was submitted and approved by the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, and as a result, a structure was created in which Director General Moon had no choice but to approve a no-charges decision, according to the special counsel.
Based on the results of the questioning that day, the special counsel plans to focus on tracking whether there was collusion between Um and Kim Dong-hee of the Busan High Prosecutors' Office, who was the deputy chief prosecutor at the time.