South Korean investigators launched raids on the Justice Ministry, the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, and several other locations. Special Counsel Cho Eun-suk directed the actions and coordinated searches at homes and offices linked to top officials. The effort formed part of a broader case tied to attempts at declaring martial law.
The raids targeted former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae and former Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung. Authorities accuse Park of supporting former President Yoon Suk Yeol in his failed attempt to enforce martial law. They also accuse him of failing to stop the plan. At the same time, Shim faces allegations of abusing power after he refused to challenge a court ruling that freed Yoon from detention.
According to investigators, Yoon gathered six Cabinet members on the day of the attempted martial law declaration. Park then held an urgent meeting inside the Justice Ministry. He instructed officials to send a prosecutor to a joint headquarters. He also ordered an Immigration Service officer to report for duty outside normal hours, which signaled preparations for travel restrictions on politicians or military leaders.
Shim’s situation remains complex. He resigned as prosecutor general soon after Lee Jae Myung took office. His departure coincided with new reforms aimed at reducing the power of prosecutors. Yet questions about his involvement in several controversies continue to grow.
A separate inquiry added more pressure on Shim. Investigators connected him to the appointment of former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup as ambassador to Australia. Another special counsel team seized Shim’s phone and collected related documents to confirm possible interference.
Lee Jong-sup faced a separate investigation over suspicions of meddling in a Marine Corps probe into a soldier’s death. Despite the ongoing inquiry, Yoon named him ambassador. Soon after, the Justice Ministry lifted his travel ban, while Shim held the role of Vice Justice Minister.
Lee resigned only weeks later after public backlash grew intense. Yoon accepted the resignation quickly, which added fuel to the criticism over the administration’s decisions.
The raids highlight the determination of investigators to pursue accountability. Officials stressed that truth and transparency remain central to their mission. The South Korea political scandal investigation has now expanded across institutions. As the South Korea political scandal investigation widens, the public watches closely. Ultimately, the South Korea political scandal investigation may reshape trust in justice and politics.
