Prosecutor general apologizes for special treatment in first lady’s interrogation
![Prosecutor General Lee One-seok speaks to reporters on his way to work at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on Monday. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/07/22/633ccecf-7ecd-4fb8-8ab5-8ffb536b93c5.jpg)
Prosecutor General Lee One-seok speaks to reporters on his way to work at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on Monday. [YONHAP]
Prosecutor General Lee One-seok apologized to the public on Monday for not upholding the principle that there is no privilege before the law regarding the questioning of first lady Kim Keon Hee.
Speaking with reporters on his way to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, he said that the prosecution failed to keep its promise to the public during the questioning of Kim, despite his previous statement that there would be “no exceptions, privileges or sanctuaries before the law.”
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office said Sunday that they questioned the first lady privately for 12 hours the day before at an undisclosed government building instead of the prosecutors’ office due to “security reasons.” The prosecution questioned her about her alleged involvement in a stock manipulation case and her luxury handbag scandal.
The prosecutor general also added that while he was not notified of Kim’s questioning, it is his responsibility for “failing to lead the prosecution properly.”
“I will do my best to ensure that the constitutional principle that everyone is equal before the law is realized in every remaining investigation and case disposition,” Lee said.
Controversy arose as the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office did not report to Lee and the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office that they would be questioning the first lady. Lee only became aware of the questioning 10 hours into it.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office explained that they did not initially report to Lee because they were investigating Kim’s alleged involvement in the Deutsch Motors stock manipulation case, in which the prosecutor general’s authority to command the investigation was restricted.
BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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