Prosecutor General : “No Reason to Delay Investigation”

The Supreme Prosecutor’s Office filed an official request for investigation on Korea Railroad’s alleged investment in a Russian oil development project, assigning the case to Seoul District Central Prosecutor’s Office’s Special Investigation Department III.

Prosecutor General Kim Jong-bin said, “There is no reason to delay investigation.” Seoul District Central Prosecutor’s Office chief prosecutor Lee Jong-baek said, “We will promptly start the investigation to reveal the whole truth without an inch of suspicion.”

The Prosecutor’s Office is planning to ban officials related to this case from leaving the country, such as Vice Minister of Construction and Transportation Kim Se-ho (former head of Korea Railroad), President of Korea Railroad Shin Gwang-soon, and head of Development Headquarters at Korea Railroad Wang Young-yong, in addition to Highend President Chun Dae-wol, who has already been banned.

The Prosecutor’s Office is also planning to hold a search on government organs or companies related to this case.

In addition to searching for the whereabouts of Chun, who has been issued an arrest warrant, the Prosecutor’s Office will ask Huh Mun-sok, CEO of Korea Crude Oil, to return from Indonesia early.

The investigation of this case is to be the first test of the newly inaugurated Prosecutor General Kim’s investigative ability and determination. An official at the Prosecutor’s Office said, “Since this investigation has so many suspicions to solve, all prosecutors at the Special Investigation Department III will be conducting ‘team investigation’ over this case.”

The Prosecutor’s Office is expected to focus on whether this case is a simple confidence game, or if Korea Railroad authorities who were stripped of $3.5 million have allegations of defalcation, or if political authorities have abused their powers.

Interrogating Representative Lee Kwang-jae of the Uri Party is the core of this investigation. Prosecutor General Kim announced he would not exclude Representative Lee, who is not included in the interrogation request list, from the investigation.

jin0619@donga.com