PROBE INTO PROSECUTOR'S RESIGNATION

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A senior prosecutor suddenly tendered his resignation while investigating allegations involving Lee Jae-myung and Seongnam FC. Inside the prosecution, there are opinions that the prosecutor has offered to resign due to a conflict with his superior who blocked his investigation with no reasonable reasons. As related disputes are continuing to grow, the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office ordered a probe to find what had happened actually.

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Lee Jae-myung was accused of making large corporations pay contributions to Seongnam FC in return for business favors while serving as mayor of Seongnam City. As the opposition bloc filed a complaint in 2018, police launched an investigation into the allegations. But after a three-year probe, Lee was cleared of the accusations and the case was dropped. But the accuser raised an objection and the Seongnam branch of the Suwon Prosecutors’ Office has been reviewing whether they should investigate the matter again. However, deputy chief prosecutor Park Ha-young who was leading the investigation into the Seongnam FC allegations suddenly tendered his resignation. Some prosecutors believe he quit in protest of his superior Park Eun-jeong’s move to block the investigation. Park Eun-jeong, now chief of the Seongnam Prosecutors’ Office, was taking the lead in a drive to punish then prosecutor general Yoon Suk-yeol in 2020, when she was working as an inspector at the Justice Ministry. Park Ha-young reportedly complained that he had reported more investigations into the allegations would be necessary but the higher-ranking prosecutors didn't accept his opinion. In a farewell message posted on the prosecution’s intranet, Park also said he had sought other means but there were no options left. As his resignation sparked controversy, opposition lawmakers raised the issue at a meeting of the parliamentary legislation and judiciary committee.

[Soundbite] Rep. Yoo Sang-bum(People Power Party(Jan. 26)) : "The Seongnam branch head is known to have frequently taken investigation records and found fault to block the probe."

[Soundbite] Park Beom-kye(Justice Minister(Jan. 26)) : "It is because of differences over investigation directions and methods."

The Prosecutor General ordered Suwon Prosecutors’ Office chief Shin Seong-sik to launch a probe and find out what had happened. However, some express doubts over the fairness of the instruction, as Park Eun-jeong is known to have discussed the case with Shin from the start.