Was There an Order for Lenient Investigation in the Jang Yoon-gi Case? Police Leadership Offices Searched (Comprehensive)

Investigation Expands Beyond Field Team to Leadership
Focus on Why "Murder with Intent to Commit Rape" Charge Was Omitted

The Special Investigation Team of the National Office of Investigation, which is probing allegations of investigative misconduct in the Jang Yoon-gi case involving the murder of a high school girl in Gwangju, has expanded its investigation into the then-investigative leadership by conducting searches and seizures at the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency chief's office and the Gwangsan Police Station chief's office.

On the morning of July 11, at around 6 a.m., the special investigation team executed search and seizure warrants at a total of seven locations: three offices at the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency, including the chief's office; two offices at the Gwangsan Police Station, including the chief's office; and the current offices of those who were in the investigative command line for the case at the time.

Jang Yoon-gi (23), who is accused of murder and attempted murder, is being transferred from Gwangju Western Police Station to the prosecution on the morning of May 14. Photo by Yonhap News.

At the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency, the offices of the head of the violent crimes division, the chief of the investigation division, and the agency chief, all part of the chain of command, were subject to the searches. At the Gwangsan Police Station, evidence was collected from the head of the criminal division's office and the chief's office.

It was also reported that the current offices of those who were in charge of the investigation at the time, such as the chief's office at Damyang Police Station in South Jeolla Province and the head of the criminal division's office at Buk-gu Police Station in Gwangju, were included in the search targets. As of now, those involved remain in the capacity of witnesses.

Previously, the special investigation team arrested Inspector A, who was the head of the criminal investigation team in charge of the Jang Yoon-gi case at Gwangsan Police Station, on charges of destroying evidence.

The investigation team is closely examining why the opinion of field investigators, who believed that Jang Yoon-gi should be charged with "murder with intent to commit rape," was not reflected in the final investigative results. They are working to determine whether this was due to Inspector A's unilateral decision or instructions from higher-ranking officials.

The police initially referred the case to the prosecution on charges of ordinary murder, which carries a minimum sentence of five years in prison. However, the prosecution changed the charge to "murder with intent to commit rape," which carries a minimum sentence of life imprisonment, and brought the case to trial under this charge.

As the prosecution's supplementary investigation revealed that Jang Yoon-gi's father is a current police executive, and allegations surfaced regarding the investigative team's destruction of evidence and leaking of investigative secrets, controversy over whether the investigation was lenient continues to grow day by day.

The Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office is also examining the entire investigative process from Jang Yoon-gi's arrest to the transfer of the case. On the previous day, it booked both the Gwangsan Police Station chief and the head of the criminal division, as the prosecution and police are simultaneously investigating the related allegations.

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