Police Officer Indicted for Taking Bribes to Cover Up Broadcasting Figure's Case

[Anchor]

A current police officer has been indicted and detained on charges of receiving money and entertainment at a nightlife establishment in exchange for covering up a case involving broadcasting figure JUNGWON. A call recording released by the police also contains the officer telling JUNGWON's husband not to worry, as he would induce the withdrawal of the complaint.

Reporter Je Hui-won has the details.

[Reporter]

In July of the year before last, broadcasting figure JUNGWON was sued for fraud and other charges by franchise owners of a Pilates academy for which she served as an advertising model.

JUNGWON, who was subsequently investigated as a suspect at the Seoul Gangnam Police Station, was suddenly converted to the status of a "reference witness," and was cleared of charges in December of the same year without being sent to the prosecution.

Prosecutors concluded that Inspector Song of the Gangnam Police Station inappropriately intervened in this process, having been introduced through Inspector Lee of the Korean National Police Agency by JUNGWON's husband, Mr. Lee, a third-generation chaebol.

Inspector Song, who was the head of the investigation team at the Gangnam Police Station at the time, allegedly had a junior officer change JUNGWON's status on the computer network from a suspect to a "reference witness," thereby removing her from the line of investigation.

[Wealthy Individual Mr. Lee: Team leader, I got a call from (Inspector Song)? (Middle omitted) He says he'll wrap it up.]

[Inspector Lee of the Korean National Police Agency: (Laughs) That's great. Well, that fellow is a senior, so most of the team leaders (at the Gangnam Station) are his juniors.]

After continuously receiving hospitality from Mr. Lee, including a luxury scarf and entertainment at a nightlife establishment, Inspector Song even told Mr. Lee, who was worried about additional complaints, to "not worry, as he would induce the withdrawal of the complaint."

[Inspector Song of the Gangnam Police Station: It will end next week. It will end well, well.]

[Wealthy Individual Mr. Lee: Ah, about my wife's case?]

[Inspector Song of the Gangnam Police Station: I'll show you with the results, but for now, it's 'withdrawing the complaint'.]

[Wealthy Individual Mr. Lee: Thank you. Let's have a meal together the week after next.]

Prosecutors have indicted Inspector Song while keeping him in detention on charges of accepting bribes, abuse of power, and leakage of official secrets.

Mr. Lee was indicted and placed on trial in detention last April for involvement in a stock price manipulation case, and Inspector Lee of the Korean National Police Agency, who connected Mr. Lee and Inspector Song and received entertainment together with them, was also indicted on charges including accepting bribes through mediation.

(Video Editing: Yeojin, Design: Chang Seong-beom and Lee Ga-jin, Video Source: Instagram godbella)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.