Seoul: The acting national police chief is set to cut short his trip to the United States and return home early amid a growing controversy over the police response to a high-profile murder case, the agency announced Wednesday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Acting National Police Agency Commissioner Yoo Jae-seong, who is currently attending the United Nations Chiefs of Police Summit in the U.S., will return on Friday. His decision comes in response to heightened public concern and interest regarding a murder case involving a female high school student in Gwangju.
Allegations have surfaced about potential connections between local investigators and the father of Jang Yoon-gi, the suspect accused of murdering a 17-year-old female student and attempting to kill a 17-year-old male student in May. Jang's father is a serving police officer in Gwangju, intensifying scrutiny on the case.
In response to these allegations, several officers at Gwangju's Gwangsan Police Station have been relieved of their duties and are under investigation by a special probe team from the National Police Agency. The team is examining claims of leaked investigative information and evidence tampering related to the case.
Prosecutors have taken further action by conducting search and seizure operations at both the police station and Jang's father's residence. An arrest warrant has been sought for the officer leading the murder investigation over suspected misconduct. A detention hearing was held at the Gwangju District Court on Wednesday, with a decision expected later that day.
The special probe team has reportedly secured testimony that suggests the investigation team leader instructed his colleagues to leave cable ties found in Jang's vehicle untouched. These cable ties are believed to be key evidence, potentially used to restrain the victim, and were later removed by Jang's father.
The investigation is delving into the reasons behind this instruction and whether it implicates the police chain of command. This controversy arises amid ongoing legislative debates about abolishing prosecutors' authority to request supplementary investigations, raising questions about the police's capability to manage major criminal cases independently.