Separate police and prosecution investigations clash at key crossroads

[Anchor]

However, there are still doubts about how long investigative agencies will continue to compete in their investigations and whether this is efficient.

Concerns are growing as they are each pushing forward almost simultaneously with the summoning of the president.

Ultimately, there are voices suggesting that only the suspects are benefiting from this situation.

Kim Tae-hoon reports.

[Report]

The key figure in the current emergency martial law situation is former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun.

It was the prosecution that first investigated former Minister Kim, secured his testimony, and arrested him.

[Park Se-hyun/Head of the Special Investigation Headquarters/Dec. 6: "We will do our utmost to leave no doubts regarding this national major incident."]

However, the evidence was first secured by the police.

Through a search and seizure, they obtained a key piece of evidence, a secret mobile phone, to prove the allegations against former Minister Kim.

While it is necessary to prove the allegations by combining testimony and evidence, the prosecution has the testimony, and the police have the evidence separately.

The Corrupt Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials(CIO) joined the investigation late.

Even though the prosecution had already requested an arrest warrant for former Minister Kim, the CIO requested another arrest warrant.

However, the CIO have not even been able to conduct an investigation into former Minister Kim, leading to criticisms that this is a 'showcase' request.

The agency unusually made public its policy to impose a travel ban on President Yoon.

[Oh Dong-woon/CIO Head/Dec. 9: "(The travel ban) was not enforced, but I directed the investigators."]

But this was also a belated response following the prosecution and police.

Currently, investigative agencies are competing even in the summoning investigation of President Yoon Suk Yeol, the pinnacle of this case.

There are concerns that the rushed investigation, without sharing testimony and evidence, may undermine the investigation itself.

[Jo Joo-tae/Lawyer: "There will naturally be limitations in the investigation. Depending on the situation, the suspect may choose to be investigated by an agency that is relatively weaker in investigative power."]

Today (12.16), confusion continued.

The prosecution directed the release of Defense Intelligence Commander Moon Sang-ho, who was urgently arrested by the police.

The reason was that the investigative authority over active-duty military personnel lies with the military, but the police expressed regret, stating it was a misinterpretation of the law.

This is KBS News, Kim Tae-hoon.