Criticism of Special Counsel Team by Former Political Leader
Former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon has raised strong criticisms against the special counsel team investigating the death of a Marine, accusing them of “lowering their tails” in response to his allegations. This came after the special counsel team stated during a briefing that there were “no plans to investigate the former representative.”
Han expressed his concerns on Facebook earlier that day, stating, “Special Counsel Lee Myung-hyeon, a political figure, arbitrarily imposed a travel ban on me today, then tried to downplay it as if it were no big deal, backed out, and lowered his tail by stating there were no investigation plans.” He continued, “The special counsel must explain why they imposed a travel ban on me, who is objectively unrelated to the case,” and added, “If the civic group 사세행, Citizen Action for Upright Judicial Justice, can impose travel bans on anyone they file a complaint against, that is a crime in itself.”
He also questioned the actions of the special counsel, asking, “If imposing travel bans on citizens is such a trivial matter, why has Special Counsel Lee Myung-hyeon, a political figure, been conducting raids and searches for months over whether to impose a travel ban on former Minister Lee Jong-sup?”
Ongoing Travel Ban Controversy
The former representative shared details about the travel ban on Facebook the previous day, stating, “The special counsel team investigating the death of a Marine has imposed a travel ban on me for several months and extended the ban period,” directly criticizing the special counsel. He disclosed a notice indicating that the special counsel team had applied for a travel ban against him, extending the ban from October 5 to November 4 for one month.
In response, the special counsel team provided clarification during a briefing on the 7th, stating, “The travel bans were imposed on individuals listed as suspects, and extensions are made on a monthly basis,” adding, “This time, the special counsel decided not to extend the travel ban period, leading to its lifting, hence the notice.” They also announced, “As of now, there are no plans to investigate Former Representative Han.”
Reactions and Further Criticisms
Following this statement, Han immediately posted again on Facebook, criticizing the special counsel team by saying, “They lowered their tails” and “It is a political special counsel.”
Earlier, the civic group 사세행, Citizen Action for Upright Judicial Justice, filed a complaint in March of last year with the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials against Han and others on charges of dereliction of duty. Regarding the case of Sergeant Chae’s death in the line of duty, when former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup, who was under investigation by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, was appointed as ambassador to Australia and left the country, 사세행 claimed, “At the time, Former Representative Han, who was the Minister of Justice, conducted a sloppy personnel verification for former Minister Lee.”
The special counsel team investigating the death of a Marine is currently investigating this case after receiving it. The ongoing controversy highlights the tension between political figures and the investigative bodies tasked with uncovering the truth behind sensitive cases. As the situation unfolds, further developments are expected to shape public perception and legal proceedings.