Police Officer Indicted for Leaking Kim Keon-hee Probe Information

A police officer faces charges for allegedly leaking sensitive investigation details from the special prosecutor's team probing First Lady Kim Keon-hee's alleged involvement in altering the Seoul-Yangpyeong highway route. The officer, identified as "Mr. K," is accused of providing internal information, including details about upcoming searches and seizures, to a Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport official.

According to reports, Mr. K, who was part of the National Police Agency's crime information division at the time, allegedly exploited his position and contacts within the special prosecutor's team. He is suspected of obtaining information by posing as someone gathering intelligence for the official. The leaks reportedly allowed the official to anticipate searches and seizures, leading to the deletion of emails and destruction of some documents at the ministry's office.

The official, identified as "Mr. Kim," was already under investigation for allegedly directing subordinates to consider an alternative route through Gangsan-myeon in Yangpyeong County, where Kim Keon-hee's family owns land. This was a departure from the initially approved route through Yangseo-myeon. The controversy surrounding the highway project led the then-Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Won Hee-ryong, to halt the project altogether.

The special prosecutor's team has indicted Mr. K without detention on charges of leaking official secrets and obstructing the investigation under the Kim Keon-hee special prosecutor law. The case raises significant questions about the integrity of investigations and the potential for insider information to compromise judicial processes.

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The special prosecutor's team has indicted Mr. K without detention on charges of leaking official secrets and obstructing the investigation under the Kim Keon-hee special prosecutor law.