Suspicions of outside pressure raised over the West District Prosecutors' Office's decision to suspend indictment
Suspicion of outside pressure over the suspension of indictment: Han Dong-hoon probes how the investigation team’s decision was reversed Take a look at the key points of the controversy surrounding the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, and check the hidden background
Independent lawmaker Han Donghoon raised suspicions of external pressure regarding the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office's decision to suspend the indictment of Justice Minister nominee Kim Seungwon. On the 4th, Rep. Han posted on social media, claiming that the investigation team had intended to seek an eightmonth prison sentence and that it must be revealed who blocked it.
According to reports, in August 2024 the Western District Prosecutors' Office investigated Kim on charges of promising bribery through brokerage and reported the possibility of indictment to the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office. It was reported that the investigation team believed there were indications that Kim had been involved in the approval of a clinical trial related to a pharmaceutical company at the request of a broker, and that there had also been a promise of sponsorship money in return.
However, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office issued an opinion not to prosecute, and the Western District Prosecutors' Office decided to suspend indictment in December of that year. It was reported that the Supreme Prosecutors' Office concluded that proving guilt would be difficult because no direct exchange of money or contact between the parties had been confirmed. Prosecutors were also said to have taken the firstinstance ruling in a previous related case into consideration.