Seoul: The justice ministry announced the formation of an independent committee to investigate alleged human rights violations and abuses of authority by prosecutors during questioning and indictment procedures. The newly established committee commenced its operations and identified seven cases for initial scrutiny, including a corruption scandal linked to President Lee Jae Myung.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the committee operates under the justice ministry and is responsible for selecting cases where prosecutors are suspected of rights violations or authority abuse. It aims to review these cases and propose measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future. The committee comprises seven members, with lawyer Jang Joo-young serving as the chairperson.

One notable case under the committee's review involves allegations that Ssangbangwool Group, an underwear manufacturer, illegally transferred funds to North Korea in 2019. This was allegedly done on behalf of the Gyeonggi provincial government during Lee's tenure as governor. Officials indicated that three out of the seven cases under review have ties to President Lee.

The committee has urged Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho to establish an independent investigative body within the Supreme Prosecutors Office to examine these cases. The committee's establishment follows Jung's directive in April to form an independent body of external experts to investigate allegations of human rights abuses during prosecutorial investigations and indictments.