After the three special counsels (insurrection, Kim Keon-hee, Marine in the line of duty), the second consolidated special counsel team led by Kwon Chang-young, which has investigated the remaining suspicions, has completed its 180-day probe. It sent 58 people, including former President Yoon Suk-yeol, to trial, but decided to hand 46 cases to police without reaching conclusions, including the alleged favoritism involving a change to the Seoul–Yangpyeong Expressway terminus. Kwon said a permanent special investigation headquarters should be established to continue the probe for a thorough eradication of insurrectionist forces.
On the 24th, the consolidated special counsel held a briefing on the final investigation results at its office in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi, and announced the outcomes for major cases. According to the announcement of the consolidated special counsel's findings that day, the team received a total of 152 cases from Feb. 25 this year through the previous day and handled 126. Of these, it said nine cases (seven people) were indicted under arrest, and 51 cases (51 people) were indicted without detention.
Those indicted by the consolidated special counsel include not only key presidential office figures from the Yoon Suk-yeol administration such as former President Yoon, first lady Kim Keon-hee, former Office of National Security chief Shin Won-sik, and former Office of National Security first deputy chief Kim Tae-hyo, but also numerous officials from state institutions including the military, prosecution, police, National Intelligence Service (NIS), and Board of Audit and Inspection.
At the briefing, Kwon, who released the investigation results, said, "Insurrection is a crime that destroys the constitutional order, so it is different in nature from ordinary criminal offenses," adding, "In international humanitarian law, such crimes are treated as war crimes." He continued, "Only by investigating and trying at that level can we correctly recognize and punish such crimes, and a fundamental eradication of insurrectionist forces is necessary."
Kwon also said, "Those investigated so far are only a very small portion," and argued, "Insurrectionist forces are preserving their intent, so if given another opportunity, they could stage an insurrection, and I think there is a possibility of success." He added, "It is reasonable to establish a special joint headquarters involving various investigative agencies and to continue systematic, long-term investigations in the form of a permanent organization."
However, the consolidated special counsel said it would transfer 46 cases (150 people) it has investigated to the National Office of Investigation (NOI) without conclusions. They include allegations that former Defense Intelligence Command chief Noh Sang-won conspired to commit murder for insurrection, suspected interference by the presidential office in the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office investigation, and the Seoul–Yangpyeong Expressway allegations.
On this, Kwon said there were limits to revealing the full picture of the alleged insurrection and state manipulation with only the consolidated special counsel's 180-day investigation. He said, "The essence of insurrection is collective, organized, and long-term, so a lengthy investigation is necessary," adding, "We cannot know how many pieces the puzzle of the war with the insurrectionist forces has, and the consolidated special counsel is only fitting the second piece."
With the investigation period ending, the consolidated special counsel will be reorganized to focus on maintaining the prosecutions.