Police Question Complainant for Second Straight Day Over Han Donghoon's Alleged 'Daughter Probe Cover-Up'

Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Major Crimes Investigation Division to question attorney Kim Kyungho on the 28th
Alleged role in derailing police request while serving as minister

Police will question the complainant for a second consecutive day in connection with allegations that an investigation into claims that independent lawmaker Han Donghoon's daughter had falsified credentials was suppressed.

Independent lawmaker Han Donghoon asks questions during a parliamentary audit by the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee at the South Korean Embassy in Washington, D.C., on the 12th (local time). Yonhap News Agency

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Major Crimes Investigation Division plans to question attorney Kim Kyung-ho as the complainant starting at 10:30 a.m. on October 28.

Kim previously filed a complaint against Han with the National Office of Investigation of the Korean National Police Agency on suspicion of leaking official secrets. He later added a charge of abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights. The complaints followed allegations that Han, while serving as justice minister, was involved in thwarting a police request for international cooperation in a case involving his daughter's alleged violation of the Copyright Act.

According to the complaint, in November 2022, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Anti-Corruption and Public Crimes Investigation Unit asked the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office to seek international cooperation with U.S. investigative authorities to determine whether an e-book sold by Han's daughter for $0.99 was intended to generate profit.

However, in December of the same year, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office's Criminal Division 6 did not send the request to the Ministry of Justice, citing the lengthy procedures, insufficient explanation of the need for the request, and the slim likelihood of cooperation from the United States. In December 2023, police decided not to refer the case to prosecutors, saying there was insufficient evidence to prove a profit-making motive.

Kim argues that the prosecutors' failure to send the international cooperation request to the Ministry of Justice violated procedures prescribed by law. He says investigators should also determine whether Han, who was justice minister at the time, was involved in the process.

Civic groups, including the Institute for People’s Livelihood and Economy, had also filed complaints against Han and prosecutors suspected of being involved in the alleged suppression of the investigation, accusing them of abuse of authority and dereliction of duty, among other offenses. Police questioned the complainants in connection with the case on October 27 as well. They took issue with the fact that the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Anti-Corruption and Public Crimes Investigation Unit received a complaint in May 2022 over allegations that Han's daughter had falsified credentials, but decided not to refer the case to prosecutors in December 2023, citing lack of evidence of wrongdoing and other reasons.

Meanwhile, Han denied the allegations concerning his daughter's alleged violation of the Copyright Act in a social media post on October 10, saying the matter had been handled with the consent of the foreign copyright holder.

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