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Rights watchdog to file complaint against special counsel team over Yangpyeong official's death

Published: 02 Dec. 2025, 09:23

Lawyer Park Kyung-ho, center, speaks during a news conference at a memorial altar for a Yangpyeong county official in downtown Seoul on Oct. 14 in this file photo. [YONHAP]

The state human rights watchdog said Monday it has decided to file a complaint against a special prosecutor team member over allegations of abuse of power in connection with the death of a county official in Yangpyeong.

The late official in his 50s was found dead at his home on Oct. 10 after being questioned by the Min Joong-ki special prosecutor team, which was investigating allegations involving former first lady Kim Keon Hee, including whether her family received illegal benefits from a land development project in Yangpyeong County, Gyeonggi.

After looking into potential human rights violations during the probe, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) decided to file a complaint with the prosecution against one investigator and requested investigations into three other team members, as it found evidence that the late official was coerced into giving statements.

The commission said the late official left a 21-page suicide note, naming the investigator being filed against and describing human rights violations by team officials, though the accused has denied the allegations.

"In the note, we found phrases such as 'I said I didn't do it, but they kept insisting I did,' and 'persuasion and coercion were too harsh,' which can be collectively considered abuse of power," a NHRCK official said.

The watchdog also urged the special prosecutor's office to ensure that no human rights violations occur in future investigations and recommended that the National Assembly include human rights protection clauses when legislating special prosecutor laws.

Yonhap