Prosecutors have requested a reinvestigation into Yoo Seung-min, president of the Korean Sports Council, who was previously cleared of allegations of breach of trust and improper selection of national team players during his tenure as president of the Korea Table Tennis Association.
According to legal sources on September 30, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office's Criminal Division 5, led by Chief Prosecutor Jeong Jae-sin, requested a reinvestigation from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, which had decided not to pursue the case.
Under criminal procedure law, prosecutors can request a reinvestigation if they believe a police decision not to pursue a case is unlawful or unjust.
Yoo is accused of improperly intervening in the selection process for the national table tennis team ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, specifically requesting a review to include a player not recommended by the association's performance improvement committee.
He also faces allegations of operating an incentive system that paid 10% of sponsorship funds to individuals who secured those funds, causing financial harm to the association.
Additional accusations include providing preferential treatment to a table tennis facility operated by his family during the selection process for division league venues and allowing parents to accompany players on a trip to observe a professional league in the United States.
The Citizens' Sports Coalition filed a complaint against Yoo in July of last year. After nearly a year of investigation, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Financial Crime Investigation Unit concluded on June 30 that there was insufficient evidence to pursue charges against Yoo and others involved.
At that time, police determined that Yoo, having final authority over national team selections, was exercising legitimate authority by requesting a review from the committee. Regarding the incentive payments, they concluded that Yoo did not have decision-making power, thus could not be held liable for breach of trust. The police also dismissed the other allegations.
The individual who filed the complaint against Yoo submitted an objection to the decision not to pursue the case, but the police rejected it, stating that the complainant did not have the right to file such an objection.
However, with prosecutors intervening in the police's findings, the allegations against Yoo from his time as president of the table tennis association are back under investigation. The police are required to complete the reinvestigation within three months of receiving the request.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.