[Anchor]

The National Police Agency's special investigation team has summoned an investigator from the team handling the Jang Yoon-gi case, who is suspected of leaking official secrets. Yoo Jae-sung, Acting Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency, expressed his apologies to the public regarding allegations of evidence destruction and collusion within the police force.

Reporter Kwon Min-kyu has the story.

[Reporter]

SBS has confirmed that the National Police Agency's special investigation team is questioning an investigator from the team handling the Jang Yoon-gi case, who previously worked at the same patrol division as Jang Yoon-gi's father.

Police Officer A, assigned to the Gwangju Gwangsan Police Station, is suspected of leaking investigation-related information to Inspector Jang, the father of Jang Yoon-gi, while investigating the high school girl murder case involving Jang Yoon-gi last May alongside the team leader, Inspector B, who has been arrested on charges including destruction of evidence.

During the investigation into the Jang Yoon-gi case, the prosecution secured records of multiple phone calls and some recording files between Inspector Jang—who destroyed key evidence such as a real doll—and Officer A.

The files reportedly contain content where Officer A addresses Inspector Jang as "senior" and says, "Everyone is keeping quiet about the fact that Jang Yoon-gi is from a police family. I told them to keep their mouths shut."

Having captured these circumstances, the prosecution booked Officer A and Inspector B on charges including leaking official secrets and destruction of evidence, and summoned Officer A as a suspect yesterday (July 9) for questioning.

Yoo Jae-sung, Acting Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency, who was on a business trip to the United States to attend a UN police chiefs' conference, cut his trip short and returned to Korea early this morning.

[Yoo Jae-sung / Acting Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency: I deeply apologize for causing further indelible pain to the bereaved family. Furthermore, I am very sorry for causing disappointment to the public.]

(Video Editing: Choi Hye-ran)