[Anchor]
The family of the late Lee Chae-won has spoken out for the first time regarding the allegations of evidence destruction and collusion by the police, which are being uncovered one by one. They criticized the authorities, stating, "The police we trusted were on the side of the murderer," and asked, "Would they have investigated this way if it were their own daughter?"
Reporter Kim Minjun has the story.
[Reporter]
[Investigate thoroughly! (Investigate! Investigate!)]
This was a press conference held this morning (July 8) in the lobby of the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency to condemn the botched and covered-up investigation.
[Mother of the late Lee Chae-won: One day, while my bright and kind child was living her ordinary life with a dream of becoming an emergency medical technician who saves lives, she lost her life in such a horrific way.]
The mother of the late Lee Chae-won raised her voice, calling the recently emerging allegations of poor investigation and evidence destruction by the police an act of dereliction of duty and deception.
[Mother of the late Lee Chae-won: I want to ask the police officers. If Chae-won had been your own daughter that day, would you have investigated like this? The police we trusted were not on our side, but on the side of the murderer.]
Describing this as the final plea of parents who have lost their child, the family called for institutional reform regarding the so-called "family privilege" provision, which exempts family members from punishment for destroying evidence.
[Mother of the late Lee Chae-won: If even police officers who have betrayed the public trust can avoid responsibility by applying family privileges, how can the public believe in justice before the law?]
Civic groups participating in the press conference also criticized Jang Yun-gi, the lead investigation team head, who denied the charges of evidence destruction and claimed there was "no intent."
[Press Conference Participant: This shameless behavior of trying to evade responsibility by hiding behind the mask of incompetence is a cruel secondary victimization that drives a stake into the hearts of the bereaved family who lost their daughter overnight.]
The bereaved family delivered a letter of protest to the Commissioner of the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency, demanding a strict investigation into the investigation team's destruction of evidence and allegations of collusion with the father of the suspect, Jang Yun-gi.
(Video reporting: Kim Jong-won, KBC | Video editing: Kim Ho-jin)
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