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

The knives of the Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office and the National Office of Investigation (NOI) are simultaneously turning toward the police leadership as they investigate allegations of a botched investigation into the "Jang Yun-gi case."

As the prosecution booked the chief and the head of the detective division of the Gwangju Gwangsan Police Station—which handled the initial case—as suspects, the National Police Agency expanded its scope of investigation to include the office of the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Commissioner, the Gwangsan station's superior agency.

According to Yonhap News reports on the 11th, both the prosecution and police are conducting independent investigations into allegations of collusion between the investigative team and the suspect's father, who is a serving police officer.

The prosecution's investigation is being led by the Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office, which changed the charge against Jang Yun-gi (23) from the "general murder" initially forwarded by the police to "murder with the intent to commit rape" when indicting him.

The Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office uncovered multiple suspicious circumstances during the police investigation of the Jang Yun-gi case, including evidence tampering and the leakage of classified investigation details, and decided to exercise its direct investigative authority over police misconduct.

The police investigation is being handled by the National Office of Investigation, which has dispatched a dedicated team to Gwangju.

Initially, a task force was formed around the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency's Anti-Corruption and Economic Crime Investigation Unit, but following controversy over the "propriety" of such a move, the lead was elevated to the National Office of Investigation at the police headquarters.

Police special investigation team raids Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency over 'Jang Yun-gi' case [Gwangju, South Jeolla Province = Yonhap News]

This unprecedented simultaneous investigation by the prosecution and police was triggered by the prosecution's supplementary investigation.

After the case was forwarded on May 14, the prosecution identified the existence of a "real doll" that had been brutally mutilated through investigative reports. On the 19th of the same month, they launched a search and seizure operation of Jang Yun-gi's studio apartment to secure the physical evidence.

However, the real doll had already been dismantled and discarded by the father—who had taken over his son's apartment from the police just three days after Jang's arrest on May 8.

It was also revealed that the father, a mid-level police officer, had burned and destroyed a mobile phone that his son had used during his adolescence.

After confirming through dozens of phone calls between the father and the police investigative team that details of the search plan and other classified information were shared, the prosecution began to suspect the entire police investigation, which had initially classified the case as a simple murder.

As media reports revealed that the father could not be punished for destroying the doll due to the "legal exemption for evidence destruction between relatives," public outrage escalated uncontrollably.

Following Jang Yun-gi's indictment, the prosecution conducted a comprehensive review of the case and decided to investigate allegations that the police had engaged in a "lenient investigation."

On the 3rd of this month, the prosecution booked multiple officials from the Gwangsan Police Station on charges of leaking official secrets, destruction of evidence, and aiding in the destruction of evidence, and initiated a forced investigation through search and seizure warrants on the 7th.

Cable ties, a 'restraining tool' found in Jang Yun-gi's vehicle [Yonhap News file photo]

Around the same time, the police officially converted their internal inspection into a formal investigation and went a step further than the prosecution by expanding the scope to the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency.

The police executed search warrants targeting the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency’s command structure, which had concluded that Jang Yun-gi should be charged with general murder under the Criminal Act.

They are currently analyzing the chain of command—from the team leader at Gwangsan Police Station up through the head of the detective division and the station chief, and further to the superior agency’s head of the violent crimes unit, head of the detective division, chief of the investigation bureau, and the commissioner—to determine what instructions were given and how they responded.

The "lenient investigation" controversy is, in some respects, self-inflicted by the police.

On May 5, the day of the arrest, police discovered the mutilated real doll—with its neck and chest area severely damaged—in Jang's apartment, which is located in close proximity to the crime scene where he killed a 16-year-old high school student.

Although the detectives on the scene suggested that it was highly likely the crime was a grotesque act combined with sexual offense, this opinion was not reflected in the final investigation results.

The police were also inconsistent, initially classifying Jang’s crime as an "aberrant motive" (so-called "random") crime, only to later conclude it was a "crime of rage" directed at a woman.

The investigation by the police's special team later revealed that cable ties, which were in the vehicle and served as "restraining tools" when Jang committed the crime against the student while leaving the rear door of the car open, had disappeared during the initial investigation.

This occurred because the initial investigative team failed to attach all reports related to the cable ties to the documents forwarded to the prosecution.

Inspector A of the Gwangsan Police Station’s detective division, who was in charge of the vehicle forensic analysis including the cable ties, was emergency-arrested by the police on the 6th of this month on charges of evidence destruction and has since been detained.

Inspector A is also suspected of intentionally omitting the investigation report on the cable ties from the documents sent to the prosecution.

Head of 'Jang Yun-gi case' investigative team arrested for evidence destruction [Yonhap News file photo]

The simultaneous prosecution-police investigation is further intensifying as it coincides with the national debate over the "abolition of the supplementary investigation authority."

As the prosecution continues to raid the Gwangsan Police Station—having even booked the station chief (a superintendent general) for aiding in evidence destruction and converting multiple officers into suspects—the extent of their reach remains uncertain.

The police have also widened their investigation to include the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Commissioner, who oversaw the Jang Yun-gi case, though they have so far only applied concrete criminal charges to Inspector A from the Gwangsan station.

However, as public criticism over the "Jang Yun-gi case" continues to pour in, the police are strengthening their investigative power, such as by expanding the special investigation team into a special investigation unit.

For now, both the prosecution and police are sticking to a principled stance regarding potential arrests or detention warrants for the investigative leadership, stating, "We will make a decision after a precise analysis of the facts."

A prosecution official stated, "The purpose of this investigation is purely to uncover the truth," adding, "We have no intention of competing with the police for investigative supremacy."

On the 10th, the police issued a "clarification statement" for the first time, appearing to reorganize their position by taking responsibility for lapses while refuting certain misunderstood facts.

A police official remarked, "All members of the organization are aware that its fate rests on this," adding, "While we will thoroughly hold those at fault accountable, it also seems necessary to actively clarify parts where standard procedures may have been misinterpreted."

Some observers suggest that the ripples of this case could spread further in unexpected directions if new facts regarding collusion or botched investigations emerge during the future investigation process, or if Jang Yun-gi—who has remained silent about the motive for sexual offenses—reveals new facts during his trial.

Acting Police Commissioner Yoo Jae-sung, who returned early from a business trip to the U.S. due to the growing controversy over the police's botched investigation and collusion in the 'Jang Yun-gi case,' attends a video conference of police leadership at the National Police Agency in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, on the 10th, to discuss reform measures for restoring trust in police investigations. [Yonhap News]