Prosecution Probe

[Anchor Lead]

Following allegations of sexual misconduct within the prosecution, authorities are looking into their own organization in a thorough investigation. On Monday, an incumbent senior prosecutor became the first person to be arrested in the investigation on charges of sex crimes.

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An incumbent senior prosecutor was arrested Monday without a warrant on charges of sex crimes. Surnamed Kim, he belongs to the Goyang branch of the Uijeongbu District Prosecutors' Office. It's the first time an incumbent senior official at the prosecution was arrested while he was under questioning as a suspect, since the prosecution launched an investigation into alleged sexual misconduct within its force. An official on the investigation panel said that the charges of sex crimes were confirmed during questioning. The official said Kim was brought into custody as the case was believed to be of a grave nature. Kim is accused of sexually assaulting a junior female prosecutor using his authority as her superior. The case emerged as the victim sent an anonymous letter to the investigators. The female prosecutor has also been questioned. Investigators are also known to have conducted a search of the Goyang office where Kim is serving. The probe committee was launched on January 31st following allegations of sexual misconduct perpetrated by a former senior Justice Ministry official, Ahn Tae-geun. Since Thursday, the probe team has been combing through all suspected cases of sexual violence within the prosecution nationwide via email and other channels, and people of interest are being summoned for questioning on suspicious charges.