Corruption Investigation Office and Police to Form Special Investigation Unit on Insurrection

The Corruption Investigation Office for Senior Officials (CIO), the agency that investigates corruption among public officials, and the police are pushing to form a 'Special Investigation Unit on Insurrection' to jointly investigate the December 3 emergency martial law case. According to the CIO and police on Sunday, the two agencies are coordinating staffing and the location for the unit. The CIO is considering dispatching a prosecutor-turned official of director-general rank at a regional CIO office.

Who will lead the unit has not yet been decided. One option under review is for the CIO's dispatched official and Police Superintendent Gang Il-gu to serve as co-heads. As the CIO, launched just about a month ago, is still undergoing interior construction at its building, the police or a third location are being considered as the site for the unit.

The insurrection unit will investigate insurrection-related cases in general, as well as the remaining cases handed over by the three special prosecutors and the second special prosecutor. The National Police Agency's dedicated investigative team, which took over the three special prosecutors' remaining cases, closed 121 cases and transferred 16 over about eight months, with four currently under investigation. The police have also taken over 46 unresolved cases from the second special prosecutor, which wrapped up its investigation in August, and are reviewing them.

Concerns are being raised about potential drawbacks of continuing investigations after prolonged probes by the three special prosecutors and the second special prosecutor. Critics also point out that if the CIO, which launched staffed at only about 66 percent of its authorized headcount, dispatches investigators, its own staffing shortage could deepen.