Corruption Investigation Office Dismisses Allegations Against Former President Yoon Suk Yeol Over Interference in Han Dong-hoon Investigation

A complaint accusing former President Yoon Suk Yeol of obstructing an investigation and inspection into then-Prosecutor Han Dong-hoon during his tenure as Prosecutor General has been dismissed by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) after five years.

The CIO dismissed the case on July 10, in which the Democratic Party of Korea had accused former President Yoon of abuse of power and violations of the Personal Information Protection Act in 2021.

The CIO concluded that it was difficult to view former President Yoon's order to suspend the inspection and his convening of an expert investigation advisory group as being for private gain or illegal purposes, and that there was no clear evidence to prove otherwise, thus recognizing no necessity to initiate and conduct an independent investigation.

Previously, in October 2021, the Democratic Party filed a complaint with the CIO, claiming that former President Yoon, while serving as Prosecutor General, had obstructed inspections and investigations by ordering the suspension of an inspection related to the alleged collusion case between then-Prosecutor Han Dong-hoon and a Channel A reporter.

At the time, the Democratic Party argued that former President Yoon's actions hindered the legitimate exercise of rights by the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's Inspection Department and the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, constituting abuse of power and violations of the Personal Information Protection Act.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
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