[Anchor]
An active-duty police officer who received money and entertainment at an adult entertainment establishment in exchange for covering up a case involving television personality Yang Jung-won has been indicted while in custody. Transcripts of multiple phone calls in which he told Yang's husband that everything would end well have also been revealed.
Reporter Je Hui-won has the details.
[Reporter]
In July of the year before last, television personality Yang Jung-won was sued for fraud and other charges by franchise owners of a Pilates academy for which she served as an advertising model.
Afterwards, while being investigated as a suspect at the Seoul Gangnam Police Station, Yang's status was suddenly changed to a "reference witness," and in December of the same year, the case was dismissed without charges due to "insufficient evidence."
Prosecutors determined that during this process, Inspector Song of the Gangnam Police Station—who was introduced to Yang's husband, a third-generation chaebol surnamed Lee, through Superintendent Lee of the National Police Agency—improperly intervened.
Investigators found that Inspector Song, who was the head of the investigation team at the Gangnam Police Station at the time, had a junior officer change Yang's status from a suspect registered on the computer network to a "reference witness," thereby removing her from the line of investigation.
[Wealthy Individual Mr. Lee: I got a call from the team leader (Inspector Song)? (Omitted) He says he will wrap it up.]
[Superintendent Lee, National Police Agency: (Laughs) That's great. Well, since that guy is a senior, most of the (Gangnam Station) team heads are his juniors.]
Subsequently, Inspector Song, who continuously received luxury scarves and entertainment from Mr. Lee, told Mr. Lee—who was worried about additional lawsuits—to the effect of, "Don't worry, I will induce them to drop the complaint."
[Inspector Song, Gangnam Police Station: It will end next week. It will end well, well.]
[Wealthy Individual Mr. Lee: Ah, regarding my wife's case?]
[Inspector Song, Gangnam Police Station: I'll show you with the results, but for now, it's 'dropping the complaint.']
[Wealthy Individual Mr. Lee: Thank you. Let's have a meal together the week after next.]
Prosecutors indicted Inspector Song while in custody on charges of accepting bribes, abuse of authority, and disclosure of official secrets.
Mr. Lee is currently on trial in custody after being implicated in a stock manipulation case last April, and Superintendent Lee of the National Police Agency, who connected Mr. Lee and Inspector Song and received entertainment together with them, has also been indicted on charges including mediating bribery.
(Video Editing: Ahn Yeojin, Design: Chang Seong-beom, Lee Ga-jin, Video Source: Instagram godbella)
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