Internal police testimony has emerged suggesting that the decision to apply a simple murder charge in the 'Jang Yoon-gi case' was directed by the National Office of Investigation (NOI) of the National Police Agency.

As the NOI is currently responsible for investigating allegations of 'lenient' and 'shoddy' investigations by the Gwangju Gwangsan Police Station, the repercussions of the Jang Yoon-gi case are expected to intensify if the claims made by frontline officers are confirmed to be true.

On Tuesday (July 21), multiple police officers who participated in the investigation from the arrest of Jang Yoon-gi (23) until his referral to the prosecution claimed that the Gwangsan Police Station, which was in charge of the case, reported major developments to the NOI and decided on the direction of the case based on their guidance.

Although the Jang Yoon-gi case was assigned to one violent crimes team within the Gwangsan Police Station's detective division based on the duty roster on the day of the incident, support teams from various departments were deployed to determine the motive for the crime and collect evidence.

Many of the officers involved in this investigative support testified that the NOI's opinions served as a guide that determined the direction of the investigation from the early stages.

Furthermore, claims have been added that the NOI's instructions were also behind the failure to reflect the frontline investigation team's opinion that Jang should be charged with rape and murder.

A police official who participated in the investigation of the Jang Yoon-gi case said, "The Jang Yoon-gi case was a 'major case' that received nationwide attention from the suspect tracking stage," adding, "Typically, this kind of case does not have a decision-making structure where officers on the ground can make arbitrary judgments or conclusions."

The official further claimed, "I remember that a member of the leadership who had argued for applying the rape-murder charge changed their stance after receiving an opinion from the NOI stating, 'Since there is no direct evidence such as a confession from Jang Yoon-gi, handle it cautiously.'"

These series of expository testimonies raised within the police force have emerged as mid-level managers who were on the front lines of the case, such as the violent crimes team leader (lieutenant) and the head of the detective division (superintendent), have been arrested or are facing arrest on charges including destruction of evidence and abuse of power.

Police officials also testified to the media yesterday that the reason the sexual assault and stalking crimes committed by Jang two days before the murder of a high school girl were investigated separately from the murder was also due to the NOI's direction.

If the claims that the NOI, which is currently investigating the allegations of 'lenient' and 'shoddy' investigations, was the entity that directed the 'Jang Yoon-gi case' and acted as the higher authority are proven true, the resulting fallout is expected to grow uncontrollably.

The NOI's special investigation team and the Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office, which are each investigating the allegations of misconduct in the Jang Yoon-gi case, conducted simultaneous raids on relevant departments of the NOI on Tuesday morning.

(Photo: Yonhap News)