Gwangju: The government apologized to the nation on Thursday over the police's alleged mishandling of a high-profile murder case in Gwangju and vowed thorough reforms. In an address to the nation, Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung addressed the controversy over allegations that police in the southwestern city leaked investigative material to the murder suspect's father, who is also a police officer in Gwangju.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung expressed his deep regret and offered condolences to the victim's family, apologizing for the public distress caused by the incident. The government is treating this case with utmost seriousness and is committed to eradicating corruption within the police force while reforming the investigative system to restore public trust.

The murder case has become a significant political issue, as allegations of police collusion were unveiled during a supplementary investigation by prosecutors. This comes at a time when there is political debate about the ruling Democratic Party's efforts to limit prosecutorial powers. The suspect, 23-year-old Jang Yoon-gi, is accused of murdering a 16-year-old female high school student and attempting to kill a 17-year-old male student on May 5.

Minister Yun emphasized that the government will ensure accountability for those involved in this case and for all corrupt officers within the police force. To prevent future misconduct, the government plans to implement a full-scale rotational assignment system and introduce voluntary disclosure and recusal systems, aiming to eliminate the practice of officers shielding one another.