Prosecutors indict senior police officer for ordering destruction of evidence in drunk driving case

Prosecutors have indicted a senior police official on charges of instructing the destruction of evidence. The officer, identified as Superintendent A, allegedly ordered a subordinate to erase a vehicle's black box memory card. This action was intended to conceal drunk driving by a junior lawyer, who is also a former junior colleague of the officer.

The indictment follows a direct supplementary investigation by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. Superintendent A faces charges of instructing evidence destruction. The subordinate, identified as B, has been charged with evidence destruction for carrying out the order. The lawyer, identified as C, who allegedly drove drunk, is being prosecuted for violating traffic laws.

According to the prosecution, Superintendent A issued the order in July 2024 to help lawyer C, a former junior colleague from university, avoid consequences for drunk driving. Lawyer C reportedly denied intent, claiming the car moved automatically due to the 'auto-hold' function while he was not actively driving. Prosecutors analyzed CCTV footage and conducted a demonstration with a similar vehicle to refute his claim, noting the brake lights illuminated during the incident.