[News Today] PASTOR RECOMMENDED FOR INDICTMENT

[LEAD]
The Prosecution Investigation Review Committee's indictment recommendation is now seeing a new twist in the luxury bag case involving the first lady. The prosecution team, previously advocating for a 'dismissal without charges', now finds itself noticeably unsettled. Here are the details.

[REPORT]
The prosecution's investigation review committee concluded that Korean-American pastor Choi Jae-young gave a Dior bag and other gifts to first lady Kim Keon-hee to ask for a favor.

The committee essentially ended up accepting Choi's claim.

Ryu Jae-yul/ Pastor Choi Jae-young's attorney
I will explain the legal principles based on the facts and evidence that the gifts were related to official duties and given for solicitation.

The situation is unusual as Choi maintained that he was guilty, while the prosecution argued that he was innocent.

The prosecution is now put in an awkward position since the panel recommended indicting the pastor.

Even if the gifts are recognized as related to official duties, it would be difficult for the prosecution to indict the first lady for violating the anti-graft law.

There are no regulations in the anti-graft law for punishing the spouse of a public official.

However, if the prosecution indicted only Choi for giving the gifts and left out Kim who received them, prosecutors could be criticized for going against the public's sense of justice and equity.

Also, the prosecution could be criticized for conducting a poor investigation into Kim, which could spark a debate on whether President Yoon Suk Yeol should have reported the gifts under the anti-solicitation law.

However, prosecutors are not obligated to follow the committee's recommendations.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office announced that it would take into account the panel's recommendation and handle the case based on the findings and by following evidence and legal principles.