Published : Nov. 10, 2013 - 19:53
Yoon Seok-youl. (Yonhap News)
A senior prosecutor fired last month as chief investigator into the spy agency’s alleged election interference is back in the heart of political controversy as the prosecution office seeks heavy punishment for his violation of investigation protocol.
The inspection committee at the Supreme Public Prosecutors’ Office will ask the Ministry of Justice on Monday to suspend Yoon Seok-youl, head of the prosecutors’ office for Gyeonggi Province’s Yeoju, for three months.
Yoon was ousted from the special team investigating allegations that National Intelligence Service agents wrote comments on message boards of major portal sites during last year’s presidential election to swing public opinion in favor of President Park Geun-hye.
The prosecution claimed that he ignored protocol in modifying the arraignment notice on the case and in arresting NIS agents.
Yoon said later at Monday’s parliamentary audit that the investigation had been influenced by politically motivated superiors from the outset. He argued that the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office chief, Cho Young-kon, impeded the investigation.
The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office launched an inspection of the controversy at the request of Cho.
According to the sources, the inspection committee decided that it was difficult to corroborate Yoon’s claim that Cho meddled in the NIS investigation.
Cho will not face any penalties, despite allegations of applying pressure on Yoon and his investigators.
Park Hyung-cheol, deputy head of Yoon’s investigation team, will also face a paycut for his role in the team’s failure to report to senior prosecutors.
The decision drew mixed reactions from rival political parties. The ruling Saenuri Party said Yoon deserved to be penalized for neglecting to take proper steps during his investigation, while Cho honored his responsibilities and was justly let off the hook.
The main opposition Democratic Party said it was “bizarre” for Yoon to face suspension for actively leading the NIS investigation. The party has previously argued that Yoon’s dismissal from his team was a politically motivated attempt to blunt the NIS investigation.
(From news reports)