Jang Yoon-gi, who murdered a high school girl in Gwangju, being transferred to the prosecution [Yonhap News file photo]

The prosecution, currently investigating allegations of confidential information leakage and evidence tampering during the investigation into Jang Yoon-gi (23), the perpetrator of the 'Gwangju high school girl murder case,' has summoned the police officers involved as suspects.

The prosecution began face-to-face interrogations today for the officers from the Gwangju Gwangsan Police Station, who have been booked on charges including disclosure of official secrets, destruction of evidence, and aiding and abetting the destruction of evidence.

Interrogations of colleague police officers, who remain in the status of witnesses, are also continuing for the second consecutive day.

It is understood that there have been no emergency arrests or changes in the legal status of the individuals to that of suspects as of now.

The prosecution also summoned Jang Yoon-gi's father, an active-duty police officer, Inspector Jang, as a witness today to investigate potential collusion with the investigation team.

It has been reported that Inspector Jang's older brother—Jang Yoon-gi's uncle—is also currently serving as a mid-level police officer in the South Jeolla province region.

The prosecution, which received the case from the police last May following Jang Yoon-gi's transfer, caught wind of circumstances suggesting that the investigation team had frequently shared updates with Inspector Jang during the supplementary investigation phase. This led to an internal review, and subsequently, multiple officers were booked on the 3rd of this month.

The prosecution decided to launch a direct investigation, deeming it necessary to uncover the truth behind incidents such as the disappearance of cable ties used for binding from Jang Yoon-gi's SUV—which the investigation team had handed over to Inspector Jang the day after the crime—and the disposal of a 'real doll' just two days later during the hand-over process of the perpetrator's studio apartment.

The police have also initiated their own internal investigation into the misconduct, having arrested Inspector A, who served as the team leader for the Jang Yoon-gi case at the Gwangsan Police Station's detective division, on charges of evidence destruction, with follow-up investigations currently underway.

This case is causing significant public outcry following the belated discovery that an active-duty police officer repeatedly disposed of evidence related to his son's heinous crime.

Meanwhile, Jang Dong-hyeok, the leader of the People Power Party, even canceled his scheduled meeting with the new Prime Minister, Han Seong-sook, on the 9th in an attempt to meet with the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner regarding the 'Gwangju high school girl murder' case, but the meeting did not materialize.