First Summons for National Office of Investigation Official Over Alleged 'Split Investigation' Directive

[Anchor]

Prosecutors are zeroing in on the leadership of the National Office of Investigation (NOI) under the National Police Agency. Authorities summoned and questioned an NOI official today (July 22) who allegedly relayed the 'split investigation' directive to the Gwangju Provincial Police Agency, claiming it came from the "head of the office." This marks the first time prosecutors have summoned an NOI official in connection with the Jang Yoon-gi case.

Reporting follows from reporter Kim Deok-hyeon.

[Reporter]

A man in a suit wearing a black mask enters the prosecutors' office.

He is Senior Superintendent Choi, head of the violent crimes division at the National Police Agency's National Office of Investigation, marking the first time an NOI official has been summoned by prosecutors.

[Senior Superintendent Choi / Head of the Violent Crimes Division, National Office of Investigation: (Have you ever conveyed that the head of the NOI ordered a split investigation?) ......]

Prosecutors summoned Senior Superintendent Choi as a witness this morning to investigate the circumstances under which he told the head of the violent crimes division at the Gwangju Provincial Police Agency last May to conduct separate investigations into Jang Yoon-gi's murder and sexual assault crimes.

Prosecutors are particularly focusing on the fact that Senior Superintendent Choi conveyed a message to the Gwangju agency stating it was an "order from the head of the office."

This is because Senior Superintendent Choi has been directly communicating with the NOI leadership while also serving as the acting head of the NOI violent crimes department, a post currently vacant.

This afternoon, former Superintendent Park, the former head of the criminal investigation division at Gwangsan Police Station who directly investigated the 'Jang Yoon-gi case,' was also summoned by prosecutors.

Park's legal side previously claimed that "there was a guideline from the National Office of Investigation to separate Jang Yoon-gi's sexual assault crimes and murder case," adding that although they requested a 'consolidated investigation' through the Gwangju Provincial Police Agency, the NOI blocked it three times.

Prosecutors are focusing on determining whether there is any connection between suspicions of initial botched investigations by the Gwangsan Police Station and direct orders from the NOI leadership, which serves as the control tower for police investigations, through the questioning of related parties.

In response, the NOI previously explained that it judged it difficult to prove the sexual assault crimes within the transfer period of the Jang Yoon-gi case, and thus "issued guidance to ensure investigative completeness."

(Video Reported by Joo Beom | Video Edited by Choi Hye-ran | Design by Jang Chae-woo)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.