Special Prosecutor Transfers Park Sung-jae Case, Alleging Kim Keon-hee Investigation Interference

A special prosecutor team investigating allegations against former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae has transferred a case involving claims of interference in the investigation of First Lady Kim Keon-hee to another special prosecutor team. The move comes after the initial team determined that the alleged actions fall within the scope of the comprehensive special prosecutor law.

The special prosecutor team led by Cho Eun-seok stated on June 30 that it had transferred the case concerning Park Sung-jae's alleged violation of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act to the special prosecutor team led by Kwon Chang-young. This followed Park's indictment by the Cho team for allegedly receiving messages from Kim Keon-hee in May 2024, inquiring about the status of her investigation and why investigations into other figures were stalled.

Previously, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced Park Sung-jae to 25 years in prison and detained him for charges related to his role in sedition and abuse of power. However, the court dismissed the charge of violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act, ruling it outside the scope of the sedition special prosecutor law. The Cho team subsequently withdrew its appeal for this specific charge.

The Cho team explained the transfer by citing Article 2, Clause 1, Item 13 of the comprehensive special prosecutor law, which includes investigating alleged offenses where Yoon Suk-yeol and Kim Keon-hee received reports on investigation statuses related to their own or others' cases, and where they allegedly obstructed, concealed, appeased, tampered with evidence, or hid evidence, thereby abusing the authority of investigative agencies.

This legal maneuver shifts the focus of the investigation into potential obstruction of justice concerning the First Lady's case to a different special prosecutor's office, highlighting the complex legal and political landscape surrounding the allegations.