Opposition lawmaker's office raided again over political meddling allegations

SEOUL, Sept. 13 (Yonhap) -- The state anti-corruption agency on Monday raided the office of an opposition lawmaker at the center of an alleged political meddling scandal potentially involving Yoon Seok-youl, a former prosecutor general and leading presidential hopeful.

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) sent investigators to the office of Kim Woong of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) for a search operation, after making a unsuccessful attempt last Friday, to search and seize documents in connection with the scandal.

The scandal centers on allegations that a high-level official at the state prosecution service delivered documents and other materials needed for filing criminal complaints against pro-government figures and several other journalists days ahead of the parliamentary elections in April last year to possibly influence the polls.

Kim, a prosecutor-turned-opposition lawmaker, is suspected of receiving the complaint letters from the prosecution service.

At that time, Yoon was the prosecutor general. Earlier this year, he quit his job at the state prosecution service and joined the PPP.

The PPP lodged a complaint with the Supreme Prosecutors Office against the CIO on Saturday, claiming that the previous raid by the agency into Kim's office did not follow due procedures, as Kim is currently a reference, not a suspect, in the investigative body's probe into the scandal.

The CIO has began an official investigation against Yoon on charges of abuse of power, divulgence of classified information while on public duty and violations of the Personal Information Protection Act and the Public Official Election Act.

jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
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