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| ▲ The signboard of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (Yonhap) |
Yoon-prosecution
Prosecution transfers martial law case on Yoon to CIO
SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- The prosecution has decided to transfer its martial law-related investigation into President Yoon Suk Yeol and former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min to the state anti-corruption investigation office, the Supreme Prosecutors Office (SPO) said Wednesday.
The SPO said it consulted with the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) and decided to transfer the case on Yoon and Lee to the CIO.
The decision came after several investigative agencies had competed to take the lead in the investigations into the impeached president and officials involved in the martial law incident. Yoon faces charges of inciting an insurrection through his declaration of martial law on Dec. 3 and has been suspended from duty pending the Constitutional Court's trial on his impeachment by the National Assembly.
The CIO first asked the prosecution and police to hand over their martial law-related cases on Dec. 8, leading to negotiations among the three agencies. Then the CIO formed a joint investigation team with the National Office of Investigation and made the same request to the prosecution and police again on Dec. 13.
On Dec. 16, police sent their cases on Yoon, Lee, former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and several military commanders to the CIO.
But the CIO has to transfer the case on Yoon back to the prosecution later after completing its investigations as it does not have the authority to indict the president under the law.
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