Special prosecutors have cleared Kim Kwan-young, the governor of Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province, of charges related to insurrection assistance during the martial law declared on December 3, 2024.
On May 8, Kwon Chang-young, head of the second special prosecution team, announced in a press release that the investigation into the allegations against Kim had concluded with no charges filed. The team reportedly delivered a notice of non-prosecution to the Jeonbuk Provincial Office around 6 p.m. the previous day.
The allegations stemmed from claims that during the martial law declared by former President Yoon Suk Yeol, Jeonbuk Province complied with directives from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, including closing the provincial office and cooperating with the regional martial law command. The issue gained traction recently as Lee Won-taek, a fellow party candidate for governor, raised concerns during the election campaign.
However, the special prosecutors' findings contradicted the allegations. The team confirmed that Kim publicly expressed the unconstitutionality of the martial law just 29 minutes after it was declared in a media interview. They stated, "It cannot be concluded that the governor acted with the intent to undermine the constitution by supporting the martial law." The investigation also found that key allegations, including the closure of the provincial office, the preparation of a provisional budget, and maintaining a cooperative system with the 35th Division's regional martial law command, were not substantiated.
The case against the governor of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, which was also under investigation for similar allegations related to the closure of the provincial office, was dismissed as well. The special prosecution team explained that this case was merely a re-filing of an already dismissed matter from a previous insurrection investigation, with no new evidence discovered.
Upon receiving the notice of non-prosecution, Kim expressed his approval and strongly criticized Lee. During a press conference at the Jeonbuk Provincial Assembly, he stated, "I cooperated sincerely with the investigation according to the law and procedures, and the truth has been confirmed. I will not let Lee's political deception and insult to the citizens go unchallenged," indicating that he would consider legal actions in response.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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