On the morning of the 11th, a special investigation team from the National Office of Investigation under the National Police Agency is seen leaving the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency after completing a search and seizure operation. The special team has been investigating allegations of collusion surrounding the Jang Yun-gi case. [Yonhap News] 

On the 11th, a special investigation team from the National Office of Investigation, tasked with uncovering misconduct in the investigation of the 'Jang Yun-gi case'—a high school student murder case—expanded its probe into the police command, conducting search and seizure operations at offices including that of the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency Chief.

The special investigation team dispatched officers that day to execute search and seizure warrants at the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency Chief’s office and the Gwangju Gwangsan Police Station Chief’s office.

The special team, which had previously arrested Inspector A, a team leader in the Gwangsan Police Station’s detective division who was in charge of the Jang Yun-gi case, on charges of evidence destruction, has now targeted high-ranking officials who were in the chain of command at the time.

At the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency, searches were conducted in three locations, including the offices of the chief of the violent crimes unit, the head of the investigation bureau, and the commissioner.

At the Gwangsan Police Station, evidence was secured from two locations: the office of the chief of the detective division and the office of the station chief.

Search and seizure operations were also conducted at the current workplaces of those who were in the chain of command at the time, including the office of the Damyang Police Station Chief in South Jeolla Province and the office of the chief of the detective division at the Gwangju Bukbu Police Station.

The raids, which began around 10:00 a.m. that day, concluded at approximately 4:30 p.m., lasting six and a half hours.

As of now, all individuals subject to the search and seizure remain in the capacity of witnesses.

On the morning of the 11th, a special investigation team from the National Office of Investigation is conducting a search and seizure at the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency. The special team has been investigating allegations of collusion surrounding the Jang Yun-gi case. [Yonhap News] 

The special investigation team is focusing on why the opinions of field investigators, who argued that Jang Yun-gi should be charged with 'murder for the purpose of rape,' were not reflected in the final investigation results.

They intend to determine whether this was an arbitrary decision by the arrested Inspector A or an order issued by superiors.

It has been reported that during the investigation, testimony emerged suggesting that the Gwangsan Police Station Chief personally directed key investigative procedures, such as search and seizure operations, and also opposed applying the charge of murder for the purpose of rape.

While the 'general murder' charge initially applied by the police carries a minimum sentence of 5 years in prison, the prosecution changed the charge to 'murder for the purpose of rape,' which carries a minimum penalty of life imprisonment, before sending the case to trial.

The scandal is intensifying daily as the prosecution's supplementary investigation reveals that Jang Yun-gi’s father is a serving mid-level police officer, alongside allegations of evidence destruction and the leaking of classified investigation information by the original investigation team.

The Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office, which is investigating various allegations of a 'lenient investigation' during the period between Jang Yun-gi's arrest and his transfer to the prosecution, also booked the Gwangsan Police Station Chief and the chief of the detective division the previous day. Consequently, the investigation into this scandal is being conducted simultaneously by both the prosecution and the police.

The National Office of Investigation has increased the personnel of the special investigation team from 27 to 41 and expanded it into a special investigation unit led by Oh Dong-wook, the Chief of the Investigation Bureau at the Daejeon Metropolitan Police Agency (a Superintendent General).

On the morning of the 11th, a special investigation team from the National Office of Investigation is conducting a search and seizure at the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency. The special team has been investigating allegations of collusion surrounding the Jang Yun-gi case. [Yonhap News]