“Secondary victimization and livelihood disadvantage” due to investigation being delayed for a year
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Jeon Jae-hoon = A former aide who raised various suspicions and filed a complaint against independent lawmaker Kim Byeong-gi filed a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission, claiming that the National Investigation Headquarters of the National Police Agency has delayed the investigation for a year.
According to a report by Yonhap News on the 7th, Mr. A, a former aide to Rep. Kim Byeong-gi, filed a complaint on the same day, saying that he was suffering secondary harm and violation of his basic rights as the investigation was not concluded for nearly a year due to repeated reservations and delay orders by former Noodle Headquarters Park Seong-joo and current Noodle Headquarters Head Hong Seok-ki related to the investigation of Rep. Kim.
Mr. A wrote in the petition, "Since September of last year, we have not received an investigation conclusion for nearly a year and have suffered secondary harm as our identity has been widely distributed online, and we have also suffered substantial disadvantages in our professional activities and livelihoods." He added, "There are many circumstances confirming that this long-term delay in the investigation is not due to coincidence or the complexity of the case itself, but is due to repeated reservations of judgment and delayed instructions from the headquarters command."
He mentioned that former Director Park was indicted on charges of ordering the sexual and murder crimes of the Gwangju high school girl murderer Jang Yoon-ki to be investigated separately, conscious of public criticism of the police, and claimed, "The delay in the investigation is likely to be a problem that has been repeated by the headquarters of the National Police Agency."
Mr. A emphasized, "In both cases, the front-line investigation team recommended a quick and accurate direction of investigation that suited the substance of the case, but as the Kuksubbon command reversed or postponed the direction, the damage was passed on to the victims of the incident." He added, "This suggests that the practice of adjusting the direction and speed of the investigation to protect the organization has been repeated in a specific command line of the Kooksubbon. An investigation by the Human Rights Commission is necessary as it may be a structural problem with the Kooksubbon."
At the same time, Mr. A requested that former Director Park and Director Hong conduct a factual investigation into the overall process of handling Rep. Kim's case and determine whether his fundamental rights were violated due to the delay in the investigation.
Mr. A is a victim of Rep. Kim Byeong-gi's alleged obstruction of business against Coupang.
Rep. Kim is being investigated by the Public Crimes Investigation Unit of the Metropolitan Investigation Division of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on charges of having dinner with then Coupang CEO Park Dae-joon in September of last year, ahead of the National Assembly audit, and requesting personnel disadvantages for his former aides, including Mr. A, who was employed by Coupang.
Mr. A and others claimed that after working as an aide to Rep. Kim and moving to Coupang, they were transferred to unwanted areas or fired due to external pressure from Rep. Kim.
This raised suspicions that Rep. Kim may have committed ‘private revenge.’
On the 28th of last month, Mr. A filed a petition with the National Police Commission to inspect the overall progress of former Director Park and Director Hong in handling the case of Rep. Kim.
