[Anchor]
The police investigation into allegations of procedural misconduct regarding the Jang Yoon-ki case has hit a roadblock. The arrest warrant for the former head of the detective division at the Gwangju Gwangsan Police Station has been dismissed for a second time. This inevitably creates setbacks for the police's plan to move up the chain of command after securing the former division chief's custody.
Reporter Jang Min-seong has the details.
[Reporter]
Senior Superintendent Park, the former head of the detective division at the Gwangju Gwangsan Police Station, exited his second pre-trial detention hearing ten days after his initial arrest warrant was dismissed.
[Senior Superintendent Park / Former Head of Detective Division, Gwangju Gwangsan Police Station: I want to express my deepest apologies to the deceased victim and the bereaved family. I faithfully explained my position during the substantive warrant review.]
Park is facing charges including dereliction of duty, for allegedly exerting undue influence during the process of applying a charge of ordinary murder rather than murder with the intent to commit sexual assault against Jang Yoon-ki, and directing authorities to separately investigate a sex crime committed by Jang against a Vietnamese woman prior to the high school girl murder case.
Following the dismissal of the first arrest warrant, the special police investigation unit reinforced its evidence—including additional statements from related parties and communication records proving Park's alleged undue directives or interference—and re-applied for an arrest warrant. However, the court dismissed it once again, stating that "there is room for dispute over the criminal charges, and it is difficult to recognize the necessity and reasonableness of detention."
A fierce standoff continues between Park's claim that it was impossible to determine whether the crime was committed with the intent of sexual assault during the initial investigation, and the special investigation unit's claim that evidence existed but a proper judgment was intentionally withheld.
The special unit viewed Park as the connecting link between the investigation team leader—who was arrested on charges including evidence destruction—and the police leadership, such as the chief of the Gwangsan Police Station, and poured efforts into securing his custody. However, with the arrest warrant being dismissed yet again, the investigation into higher-ups has hit another snag.
An official from the special investigation unit told SBS reporting staff, "The dismissal means the explanations were insufficient, not that there are no charges," adding, "We will analyze the reasons for the warrant dismissal and focus on the investigation into the Gwangsan Police Station for now."
(Video Reported by Jang Chang-gun from KBC | Video Edited by Kim Jun-hee | Design by Seo Hyun-jung)
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