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Attorney General Yoon Seok-yeol (left) and Seoul Central District Attorney General Lee Seong-yoon, Yonhap News & News 1
On the 11th, the prosecution began investigating the suspicion of ‘exhibition sponsorship’ by obtaining tax data for Covana contents operated by Attorney General Yoon Seok-yeol’s wife, Kim Gun-hee. In this regard, some prosecutors responded fiercely, saying “separate case investigation, targeted investigation.”
The Second Anti-Corruption Investigation Division of the Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office (Director Jung Yong-hwan) said on the day that “the court issued a seizure and search warrant and obtained the tax data from the exhibition planner from the tax authorities. “.
The policy is interpreted to look at basic data like tax data when all previous seizure and search warrants are dismissed. The investigation team recently requested a seizure and search warrant for the companies sponsoring the Covana Contents office and the exhibition, but the ensemble was dismissed. The court stated that “there is the possibility of voluntary submission of key evidence, and the violation of legal interests in the execution of an order is serious.”
“Target research” vs. “Common Business Research Method”
It is noted within the prosecution that it is a “separate investigation, investigation of destination” on the fact that the tax data of Covana Contenidos were obtained without accusation from the National Tax Service. The investigation began in September when Solidaridad Civil, a progressive civic group, accused in September of bribery, illegal solicitation, and violation of the Public Officials Ethics Law. When Covana Contenidos, led by Kim, held an exhibition in June 2019, there were 4 large companies sponsored, but when Yoon was nominated as Attorney General, it increased to 16, raising suspicions that it was an implicit request. At that time, the charge against tax evasion was not made. A prosecutor’s office said that “securing tax data without allegation of tax evasion is a big problem and an objective investigation.”
In this regard, an official from the Central District Prosecutor’s Office refuted: “Generally, when conducting a corporate investigation, tax data is data that can be referenced along with accounting data and accounts.” .
The Covana Contents office is headed by Kim Gun-hee, the wife of Attorney General Yoon Seok-yeol, located in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 11th. News 1
“Request a court order to recover the aeration angle” vs. “Every case is different”
There is also a later statement on the central district attorney’s notification that the court has entered a seizure and search warrant. When the court’s decision to seize and search the office was criticized as a “hasty investigation,” he said it was a court order to compensate him.
An anonymous prosecutor’s office said: “The investigation team urgently requested and issued an order after the court’s decision to dismiss the order,” he said. “After asking the tax authorities their intention to cooperate with the voluntary filing, they asked the court to issue an order.”
Prosecutors explained that the level of the alleged calling was completely different between the office’s search and search warrant and the warrant request against state agencies. This means that it is relatively easy to issue a court order in terms of business cooperation, unless it is to reveal the criminal charges of a state agency. An official from the tax authority said: “According to the provisions of the National Tax Confidentiality Framework Law, tax data can be provided only under certain conditions, such as the issuance of a seizure and search order.” It’s 80-90%, and after that, an order is issued. ”
A prosecution official criticized that “the investigation team has been misled into ignoring the difference between an order that is strictly examined by the court and an order that is issued mechanically,” he said. did.
An official from the Central District Prosecutor’s Office said: “It depends on the case” and said: “The reason for the need for the data seems to have been clarified and issued.”
Central District Prosecutor’s Office “Investigation according to laws and principles without political consideration”
The logo of the prosecution service at the entrance of the central district attorney in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Yunhap news
The Central District Prosecutor’s Office also ruled on the criticism that “this investigation is a political investigation.” The Central District Prosecutor’s Office said: “A national suspicion has been raised and the criminal charges will be promptly investigated in accordance with the laws and principles without any political consideration to clarify the relevant facts.” Regarding the point that “they are pushing for President Yun’s resignation to retaliate against nuclear research,” he said, “This is a completely different argument from the truth.
Reporters Kang Kwang-woo and Jung Yu-jin [email protected]
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