Im Eun-jung, the chief of the Gwangju Serious Crimes Unit, arrived at work on October 12 without making any statements regarding her designation as the target of the first investigation by the unit.
On that morning, Im entered the Gwangju Serious Crimes Unit building through a restricted underground parking area, avoiding contact with reporters waiting outside.
Earlier, Im's team announced that she would not make any statements during her commute, indicating that her position on the investigation would be addressed through a post made on Facebook the previous day.
Yoon Ho-jung, the Minister of the Interior and Safety, revealed the initiation of the investigation against Im, who has publicly criticized Kim Ji-yong, the nominee for the inaugural chief of the Serious Crimes Unit. Yoon stated, "It seems that Im has mistaken the Serious Crimes Unit for a political organization rather than an investigative one."
In response, Im expressed her feelings on Facebook, saying, "While it may not be as significant as the fact that the nominee for the inaugural chief of the Serious Crimes Unit is former prosecutor Kim Ji-yong, it is still unfortunate and disheartening that I have become the first target of an investigation."
She added, "During my time in the prosecution, I exercised my right to object against a superior's directive to issue a blank indictment in a historical case, which led to severe disciplinary action against me for damaging my reputation. However, I won a lawsuit to cancel the disciplinary action and established regulations for the objection process, improving practices. I will handle this situation with a sense of duty."
Yoon also explained the background of his directive for the investigation during his own commute. He noted, "Im has already expressed her opinions sufficiently while in the prosecution, yet she continues to raise issues after taking her position at the Serious Crimes Unit. I believe this raises concerns about whether her actions are political in nature, which is why I ordered the investigation."
He emphasized that the practices of the prosecution should not be repeated within the Serious Crimes Unit, criticizing the leniency shown in disciplinary matters among prosecutors due to their relationships. Yoon stated, "It is no longer acceptable to allow such practices to continue in the Serious Crimes Unit, and this applies to all investigators, not just Im."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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