It has been confirmed that the police investigating the investigative irregularities surrounding Jang Yoon-gi have summoned and questioned the former head of the Gwangju Gwangsan Police Station, who oversaw the initial investigation, for a second time.

According to SBS reporting, the Special Investigation Unit of the Korean National Police Agency summoned former Gwangsan Police Station Chief, Senior Superintendent Kim, as a suspect yesterday (the 24th).

This marks one month since his first summoning and questioning on July 23.

Senior Superintendent Kim is suspected of exercising undue influence in the process of applying the charge of simple murder instead of murder with intent to commit rape to Jang Yoon-gi, the perpetrator of the Gwangju female high school student murder case.

The police believe that Senior Superintendent Kim lies behind the circumstances of evidence destruction or omission that occurred during the Gwangsan Police Station's initial investigation, as well as attempts to sever connections to related crimes.

Amid heavy public criticism following the Namyangju stalking murder case, authorities strongly suspect that he may have intentionally ordered a shoddy investigation to evade criticism, reprimand, and disciplinary action over police responses gone wrong that led to a murder case.

Previously, the police expanded their investigative net by sending the Gwangsan Police Station investigation team leader, in whom evidence destruction charges were detected, to prosecutors in custody, and by conducting searches and seizures at relevant institutions multiple times, but recent momentum has hit a roadblock.

The police applied twice for an arrest warrant for the former head of the detective division at the Gwangsan Police Station—who was the superior of the investigation team leader—on charges including abuse of power to obstruct the exercise of rights and dereliction of duty, but the court dismissed all of them on the grounds that there was "room for legal contention," dealing a setback to the investigation targeting higher-ups.

It was ascertained that the police had been coordinating the summoning schedule with Senior Superintendent Kim's side multiple times while reviewing the direction for handling the former head of the detective division's legal status.

During yesterday's intense interrogation lasting about 11 hours, Senior Superintendent Kim reportedly denied the allegations, maintaining his previous stance that "there were no undue orders." Based on physical evidence and statements from related parties secured so far, the police plan to review whether to apply for an arrest warrant for Senior Superintendent Kim.

As observations emerge that the Special Investigation Unit's probe into the irregularities related to Jang Yoon-gi is heading toward its final stages, attention is focused on whether the police—who have repeatedly come under fire over controversies such as the Geoje 'King' allegations in South Gyeongsang Province and the botched investigation into a missing person in Jeju—will be able to produce meaningful results.