The National Police Agency’s National Office of Investigation has announced the formation of a Special Investigation Headquarters to take over and continue unresolved cases previously handled by the three major special counsels — the insurrection probe, the Kim Keon-hee investigation, and the Marine Corps death case.
According to an official announcement on December 1, the police stressed that the new headquarters has been structured to ensure independence and fairness throughout the investigative process. The unit will manage every case transferred from the special counsel teams until their official deadlines arrive.
Cases Being Transferred One After Another
The first case already handed over to the police was the special counsel investigation into the death of Corporal Chae Soo-geun of the Marine Corps, whose inquiry concluded on November 28. The police have begun forming a dedicated team to handle the matter.
Two more cases are scheduled to be transferred this month:
- Insurrection special counsel — deadline December 14
- Special counsel investigating former First Lady Kim Keon-hee — deadline December 28
The National Office of Investigation stated that all pending cases will be taken over sequentially by the end of December.
Leadership and Operational Structure
Senior Superintendent Kim Bo-jun, currently serving as security investigation reviewer at the National Police Agency, has been appointed to lead the Special Investigation Headquarters. The police confirmed that the chief of the new headquarters will operate independently and will report only the final results to National Investigation Headquarters Chief Park Sung-joo.
The police previously operated a similar investigation unit after the declaration of emergency martial law on December 3 last year. However, the unit was dissolved following the launch of the three special counsels under the new administration. Now, as the special counsels’ terms expire, the police are resuming control of the related investigations.
Under the amendments to the Acts on the Appointment of Special Prosecutors, passed on September 11, any case not completed or lacking a prosecution decision within the counsel’s mandate period must be transferred to the Vice Commissioner General for Investigation within three days of the deadline.
Marine Corps Case — First to Conclude
The special counsel investigating the death of Corporal Chae Soo-geun was the first to finish its 150-day inquiry. The team indicted 33 individuals, including:
- Former President Yoon Suk-yeol
- Former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup
In addition, Oh Dong-woon, currently serving as head of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, was referred to trial over allegations of suppressing a perjury case involving testimony in the National Assembly.
However, the inquiry failed to uncover the truth behind the suspected “life-saving lobbying” involving former 1st Marine Division Commander Lim Seong-geun — the very issue that prompted the launch of the special counsel. No suspects were charged or booked regarding that allegation.