[Sportschosun Reporter Park Ara-ram] Prosecutors have asked for a prison sentence for a prosecution investigator who was put on trial for allegedly leaking information about actor Lee Sun-kyun's drug investigation to the outside.
At a hearing on the 12th in the 14th Criminal Division of the Incheon District Court, prosecutors requested that the court sentence Incheon District Prosecutors' Office investigator A to three years in prison on charges including leaking official secrets.
Prosecutors pointed out that A has given inconsistent statements about how he came to know the investigation details. They stressed that although he claimed the information was merely "something he heard from people around him," his account differs from the testimony of those involved. They also argued that the court should take into account signs that he tried to destroy evidence, including by changing his mobile phone during the investigation, as well as his demeanor in court.
A's defense, meanwhile, argued that he did not obtain the information through his investigative duties and had only passed along material that was already widely known inside the office. His lawyer acknowledged that the defendant acted carelessly without fully recognizing the seriousness of the case, but said it was excessive to apply charges of leaking official secrets.
In his final statement, A bowed his head and said, "I deeply reflect on causing public concern through inappropriate behavior as a public official."
A was indicted in October 2023 on charges of passing information about the status of the investigation into Lee Sun-kyun, who was then under a police internal probe over alleged drug use, to a media contact. As the information was later reported, controversy over the leak of investigative details spread.
Documents prepared during the investigation reportedly contained sensitive personal information about people involved in the case, including their identities, criminal records, and occupations. Some of the materials were disclosed through the media, causing a public backlash.
Meanwhile, Lee Sun-kyun began facing police investigation in October 2023 and was questioned several times. He was later found dead in the Jongno District, Seoul, in December that year. The related case was subsequently closed with no possibility of prosecution.
tokkig@sportschosun.com
