Min Jin-ki, the special prosecutor investigating various alleged cases related to Kim Keon-hee, the former first lady and wife of President Yoon Suk-yeol, is seen arriving at the special prosecutor's office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on July 1. Yonhap News.

The Kim Keon-hee special prosecutor's office is facing criticism for wasting taxpayer money, having spent 3.6 billion won during its 90-day investigation period, a situation exacerbated by the death of a Yangpyeong public official who was being investigated.

According to a report by Herald Business, which obtained the data from Rep. Na Kyung-won's office of the People Power Party and published it exclusively on the 12th, the special prosecutor's team, which launched an unprecedented investigation into the first lady, had spent a total of 3,661,170,000 won as of the 29th of last month, when the initial 90-day investigation period concluded.

☞Related article link: How crazy can a special prosecutor be...

As of the 16th of last month, when the Kim Keon-hee special prosecutor's office submitted its budget execution details to the National Assembly for the first time, the amount spent was 2,880,700,000 won. An additional 853,090,000 won was spent in the following fifteen days. This means an analysis suggests that 60.93 million won was spent each day for two weeks.

The Kim Keon-hee special prosecutor's office has reportedly used nearly half of its total allocated budget of 7,812,650,000 won for the 90-day investigation period stipulated by the Special Prosecutor Act, which began on July 2nd. This amounts to an average daily expenditure of 40.67 million won over 90 days.

According to the Herald Business report, 54% of the 1,033,200,000 won allocated for special activity expenses was spent, totaling 558,240,000 won. When added to expenses such as travel expenses (48.08 million won), business promotion expenses (64.10 million won), and duty performance expenses (87.36 million won), which are similar in nature despite different names, the total cost of "quasi-special activity expenses" amounts to 757,800,000 won.

Personnel expenses were the largest expenditure item, totaling 1,296,830,000 won. The newspaper reported that the salaries of the special prosecutor, special prosecutors, and special investigators are paid from this budget, considering that public officials dispatched from agencies like the prosecution and police receive their salaries from their original departments.

The special prosecutor's office did not submit detailed budget execution details, citing the need for confidentiality under the Act on Disclosure of Public Information by Public Institutions.

Screenshot of the online edition of Herald Business.

As the "More Powerful Special Prosecutor Act," aimed at extending the investigation period and increasing personnel, came into effect on the 26th of last month, further expenses are expected for the special prosecutor's office.

Meanwhile, regarding the death of the Yangpyeong public official investigated by the Min Jin-ki special prosecutor's team, Jang Dong-hyuk, a representative of the People Power Party, stated at an emergency press conference, "This has become a country where everyone remains silent even as a gangster-like special prosecutor runs wild," and strongly criticized, "One public official made an extreme choice due to an unscrupulous investigation."

The deceased's statement, revealed by Rep. Jang, contained content such as "I made statements I don't recall due to the special prosecutor's persuasion and coercion, and the records were arbitrarily written, with the special prosecutor forcing answers," leading to controversy over coercive investigations.

The deceased's lawyer stated, "The pressure, leading questions, and nighttime interrogations without consent are illegal," and added, "There were also threats of arrest and inducement for sentence reduction," announcing plans to file a complaint against the special prosecutor and investigators.

Assembly participants pay respects at the memorial altar for the Yangpyeong public official. Yonhap News.

Furthermore, the People Power Party's Special Committee for the Defense of Judicial Justice and Prevention of Dictatorship issued a statement on the 11th, demanding the immediate resignation of Special Prosecutor Min Jin-ki, stating, "All investigation records and interrogation transcripts of the special prosecutor must be fully disclosed. It must be revealed who ordered the persuasion, coercion, and threats."

In response, the special prosecutor's office has fully denied the allegations, stating, "Meal times and breaks were provided, and the individual was allowed to return home safely. There was no coercion or persuasion."

On the 12th, conservative groups including the New Liberal Alliance and the People Power Party Regular Members' Association set up a temporary memorial altar on the sidewalk in front of the KT West Building in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, where the Kim Keon-hee special prosecutor's office is located, to mourn the deceased.

Editorial Department