Seoul Southern District Prosecutors Office has concluded its investigation into the so-called "discarded banknote bands" case without filing charges.
On June 5, Yonhap News reported that the Southern District Prosecutors Office announced, "There is no evidence to suggest that those responsible for the seized items intentionally damaged or discarded the banknote bands and systematically concealed evidence."
This conclusion aligns with earlier assessments from the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and the special investigation team led by Ahn Kwon-seop, which determined that while there were operational errors, they did not warrant criminal prosecution.
The controversy over the discarded banknote bands originated in December 2024 during a search of the residence of Jeon Seong-bae, known as "Geonjinbeopsa." Cash bundles worth approximately 50 million won were seized, but it was later revealed that the bands and stickers containing inspection information attached to the banknotes were lost during the prosecution's handling of the case.
The Supreme Prosecutors' Office acknowledged operational negligence through its internal review and investigation but found no evidence of organized concealment by higher-ups. The special investigation team also confirmed deficiencies in the documentation of seized items but could not find objective evidence to support any charges. In March, the team effectively concluded that there were no grounds for charges and referred the case to the prosecution.
After approximately three months of additional review, the Southern District Prosecutors Office stated, "After closely examining the records referred by the special investigation team, we found the conclusion to be valid and determined that there was no evidence to support the allegations." However, since the allegations originated from the Southern District Prosecutors Office, there are concerns about potential controversy regarding a "self-exoneration" decision.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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