Second Special Counsel, Refused Access to Suspect Interrogation Record, Then Granted After Lawsuit
We examine the controversy over the refusal to allow access to and copying of the suspect interrogation record, and the special counsel's belated reason for providing it Check the investigation rules and exception standards, and quickly review the key points of the administrative lawsuit as well
The second special counsel investigation initially blocked access to and copying of the suspect interrogation record of Kim Hyuntae, former commander of the 707th Special Mission Group, but it was later confirmed that it belatedly provided some of it after Kim's side filed an administrative lawsuit.
The special counsel refused disclosure, citing the early stage of the investigation, but in the legal community there were criticisms that it is unusual to prevent a suspect from reviewing a record containing his own statement. Under the current investigation guidelines, access to and copying of suspect interrogation records is, in principle, permitted, and nondisclosure is recognized only as an exception.
A special counsel official explained that after the questioning of related parties had progressed substantially, concerns over evidence leaks had decreased, leading to the provision of the record.