The second thorough special counsel, examining outstanding cases from the three special counsels (insurrection·Kim Keon-hee·deceased marines), initiated a criminal probe against the National Police Agency on the 20th concerning the ‘alleged suppression of the Unification Church investigation.’
The thorough special prosecutor stated that they conducted raids and searches at the National Police Agency, Gangwon Provincial Police Agency, and Chuncheon Police Station starting early that day. The special prosecutor dispatched prosecutors and investigators to these agencies in order to obtain documents connected to the allegations of suppressing the ‘Unification Church overseas gambling case investigation,’ as reported. A representative from the special prosecutor’s office mentioned, “We indicated in the warrant that it was a time when the collaboration between the Unification Church and former President Yoon Suk-yeol was becoming stronger.”
The claims regarding the suppression of the Unification Church investigation focus on the Chuncheon Police Station receiving information in June 2022 that executives of the Unification Church, including Chairman Han Hak-ja, wagered approximately 6 billion South Korean won at a Las Vegas casino in the United States between 2008 and 2011, yet did not carry out an inquiry. Former global leader of the Unification Church, Yun Young-ho, along with others, were charged with attempting to destroy evidence after becoming aware of the investigation beforehand.
Previously, the special counsel team examining former first lady Kim Keon-hee conducted raids on the National Police Agency and other entities in July of last year, suspecting that People Power Party representative Kweon Seong-dong had shared details about the police investigation with the Unification Church. According to the special counsel, Representative Kweon called Yoon in October 2022 and stated, “This is information from the police side, but there is an ongoing police investigation into Unification Church executives, including Chairman Han Hak-ja, regarding alleged violations of the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act related to gambling charges,” and “Get ready, as a raid and search could happen.”
The special counsel team looking into former first lady Kim Keon-hee charged Rep. Kweon and Unification Church officials, such as Chairman Han, last year for sharing information connected to the investigation, and the initial court recognized these details. Nevertheless, in the trial concerning Yoon’s allegations of destroying evidence, the court dropped the charges, noting, “Investigation subjects should not be broadly extended merely due to substantial public attention.”
The thorough special prosecutor is anticipated to launch an extensive inquiry into the claims of police misconduct, utilizing the investigation documents gathered by the special prosecutor team examining former first lady Kim Keon-hee and the materials obtained from the police on that day.
Meanwhile, the thorough special counsel stated that they conducted a raid and search at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, that morning concerning the allegations of ‘Deutsch Motors investigation suppression.’ The special counsel reportedly obtained prosecutors’ messaging logs from investigators involved in the case in 2024 as well as KICS (Korea Information System of Criminal Justice Services) records. Regarding this, the special counsel sent investigators to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office on the 10th to raid and examine the computer data used by former Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung.
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