Independent Counsel Indicts Son Doo-ri Over Residence Budget Suspicion... Military Officials in 'Guardian God' TF Indicted Without Detention

Independent Counsel Indicts Son Doo-ri Regarding Residence Budget and 'Guardian God' TF Suspicions

The second special investigative team led by Kwak Chang-young has reached the final stage of its investigation into suspicions regarding the misappropriation of the presidential residence budget and the "Guardian God" Task Force (TF). The counsel's team decided not to refer former Chief of Staff for Presidential Administration Choo Kyung-ho for prosecution and granted a suspended indictment to former NIS Planning Director Kim Wan-seop in connection with the residence budget misappropriation allegations. According to Yonhap News, this is interpreted as a decision due to the difficulty in proving the allegations.

Regarding the 'Guardian God' TF suspicions, former Army Capital Defense Commander Lee Jin-woo and former Joint Investigation Headquarters Chief Yeo In-hyung were indicted without detention. The 'Guardian God' TF is known to be an organization that carried out specific missions during the martial law declaration process, and the special counsel has begun clarifying the allegations of those involved and securing evidence. Former Office for National Situation Director Son Doo-ri was also indicted.

Residence Budget Issue Becomes Central to State Affairs Interference Suspicions

The suspicion regarding the residence budget misappropriation arose over whether the Presidential Office used funds budgeted for the maintenance and management of the residence for other purposes. This escalated into an issue of transparency in state administration, as using the budget for non-statutory purposes would undermine the National Assembly's consent procedures and budget compilation principles.

However, the special counsel's decision to effectively conclude the investigation against key figures by declining to press charges and granting suspended indictments is viewed as evidence that there was insufficient evidence to hold them criminally liable. A suspended indictment is a decision where the allegation is acknowledged but prosecution is deemed unnecessary; like the decision not to refer for prosecution, it is seen as a substantive conclusion as it does not lead to a trial.

Appeals Trial Begins for Myung Tae-kyun Public Opinion Poll Case

The appeals trial for Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and former President Yoon Suk-yeol, who were tried for violations of the Political Fund Act related to political broker Myung Tae-kyun's public opinion polls, began before the same bench. Mayor Oh attended court on the afternoon of the 21st, stating, "I will reveal the substantive truth and prove my innocence."

Since guilty verdicts were handed down in the first trial, the focus of the appeals trial is compressed to whether public opinion polls were commissioned and if costs were paid by a third party. The defense claimed there was no request for polls, while the special counsel took issue with the fact that survey costs were paid via a third party. Under the Political Fund Act, third-party payment is regulated as an act that disrupts the order of fair political funding if it is deemed a free provision exceeding market value.

Evaluation of Investigation Results and Future Schedule

Despite the second special counsel's investigation period and投入规模 being the longest and largest in history, assessments suggest that significant results were not achieved. Some cases involving higher-ups have been transferred to other investigation agencies, and the special counsel is scheduled to announce the final investigation results on the 24th.

Remaining tasks are piled high. In the case of the 'Guardian God' TF incident, as the trial procedures for indicted former generals Lee Jin-woo and Yeo In-hyung begin in earnest, the military's internal command structure and accountability regarding martial law are expected to be addressed in court. The appeals trial for the Myung Tae-kyun case is also expected to see continued debate between political circles and the prosecution/special counsel regarding the propriety of the investigation.

Meanwhile, the People Power Party has announced it will pursue the truth regarding the execution of special activity expenses for the Presidential Office and the special counsel during the National Assembly's settlement audit. As members of the Budget and Settlement Special Committee have stepped forward to verify last year's overall budget execution, the issue of budget execution transparency is likely to remain a key political flashpoint even after the special counsel investigation concludes.