Special Prosecutor Summons Former Prosecutor General Shim Woojung for Questioning Over Insurrection and Investigation Interference Allegations

Scheduled to Appear as a Suspect on June 24
Second Request for Investigation Extension

Kwon Changyoung's second Special Prosecutor Team has summoned former Prosecutor General Shim Woojung as a suspect for questioning.

Shim Woo-jung, former Prosecutor General. Yonhap News Agency

On June 22, Special Prosecutor Kim Jimi stated at a briefing, "On the morning of June 24 at 10 a.m., former Prosecutor General Shim is scheduled to appear as a suspect on charges including participation in major insurrection-related duties."

Shim is accused of reviewing the dispatch of prosecutors to the Martial Law Joint Investigation Headquarters under the direction of former Justice Minister Park Sungjae during the 12·3 Martial Law.

On the day martial law was declared, Park attended a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office and then returned to the Ministry of Justice to convene a meeting of senior officials. During that meeting, suspicions were raised that Park instructed the Prosecutor Bureau to review the dispatch of prosecutors to the Joint Investigation Headquarters.

It has been confirmed that Park communicated with Shim three times between 11 p.m. on December 3, 2024 and the early hours of the following day. The special prosecutor team is expected to examine whether Park instructed Shim to dispatch prosecutors to the Joint Investigation Headquarters.

Shim is also facing charges of abuse of authority in relation to suspicions of interfering with the investigation involving First Lady Kim Keonhee. He is suspected of being involved in the process by which the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office failed to properly investigate Kim in the alleged Deutsche Motors stock manipulation and Dior bag bribery cases, ultimately leading to her being cleared of charges.

The special prosecutor team has been investigating the prosecutors who handled the First Lady's case, as well as Lee Changsu, then-chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, to verify the decision-making process and reporting channels at that time. It has been reported that, during questioning, those involved stated there were no improper instructions and that the cases were handled in accordance with legal principles.

Regarding the complete reshuffling of the investigation team, the special prosecutor's office has also sent appearance notices to former Prosecutor General Lee Wonsuk, former Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office chief Song Kyungho, and former presidential personnel secretary Lee Wonmo, but has not yet received responses.

On this day, the special prosecutor team also requested President Lee Jaemyung to grant a second extension of the investigation period. Under the Special Prosecutor Act, the investigation period can be extended twice, each for up to 30 days, and the first extension is set to expire on June 24.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.