Police Claimed "Suspect Cannot Be Identified"... Prosecution's Corrective Action Leads to Arrest of Danggeun Market Teenage Suspect

Gift Certificate Scam Using Another Person’s Account
Police Suspend Probe Based on Account Holder’s Testimony
Prosecution Requests Corrective Measures, Citing Remaining Leads
Teenage Suspect Sent to Juvenile Division After Search and Seizure

A case involving minor fraud through a secondhand transaction platform was suspended during the police investigation phase on the grounds that it was difficult to identify a suspect. However, after the prosecution requested corrective action, a teenage suspect was identified and the case was transferred to the juvenile division. As debates intensify over recent decisions by police to close or suspend investigations, this case stands out as an example where a review of the records uncovered new leads and led to the reopening of a previously halted investigation.

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office Investigation Deliberation Committee recommended the prosecution to indict Pastor Choi Jaeyoung for violation of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act for giving luxury bags and other items to First Lady Kim Keonhee. On the 25th, the view of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-dong, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yongjun jun21@

According to The Asia Business Daily’s coverage on August 26, the Andong branch of the Daegu District Prosecutors’ Office (headed by In Hoon) transferred a teenage male suspect, referred to as "A," to the juvenile division for charges of fraud on July 28.

A is accused of posting an ad for the sale of Shinsegae gift certificates worth 300,000 won on Danggeun Market last August using an account registered under another person’s name, and then misappropriating 250,000 won received as payment, even though he had neither the intent nor the ability to deliver the gift certificates.

Previously, the police forwarded the case to the prosecution in October last year, recommending suspension of the investigation. The person listed as the account holder for the deposit of the stolen funds claimed, “I only sold my Danggeun Market account to someone I didn’t know via Instagram, received money for it, but have no idea who the other party is.” The police concluded that it would be difficult to further identify any suspect. Despite the existence of clues that could have identified the perpetrator, the investigation was suspended based on the grounds of “unable to specify personal details.”

However, the prosecution, upon reviewing the records, determined that there were still leads available to identify the suspect and requested corrective measures from the police. For instance, there were pieces of evidence that could be further verified, such as the Instagram ID used to access the Danggeun Market account and the bank account that ultimately received the stolen funds.

Subsequently, the police obtained search and seizure warrants for the Instagram account and related bank accounts, and restarted the investigation. Through a warrant on the bank account, they analyzed how the stolen funds were used, discovering that the secondary recipient was an acquaintance of A. Additionally, through the search and seizure of the Instagram account, they obtained information such as the mobile phone number registered at the time of the account’s creation and the IP address used to access it from a residence. Based on this evidence, the police identified A, who reportedly admitted to the charges during the investigation.

Legal experts have pointed out that if post-investigation oversight for suspended or unforwarded cases is only formal in nature, even cases with clear leads remaining in the records may be neglected. The prosecution stated, “We will continue to actively request corrective measures for improper suspensions of investigations to make sure that crimes are not concealed.”

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