▲ A file photo of special counsel Min Joong-ki taken on Dec. 29, 2025 (Yonhap)

CIO-special counsel raid

CIO raids special counsel office over alleged favoritism in bribery probe

SEOUL, Jan. 23 (Yonhap) -- The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) raided the office of special counsel Min Joong-ki on Friday over suspected favoritism in its probe into bribery allegations involving the Unification Church and politicians.

CIO prosecutors and investigators searched Min's office in downtown Seoul from the morning in connection with allegations that the special counsel attempted to cover up some Democratic Party (DP) politicians' suspected acceptance of bribes from the Unification Church.

Min's team is suspected of having investigated only politicians from the main opposition People Power Party despite hearing statements from former Unification Church official Yun Young-ho last August that politicians from the DP also received bribes from the church.

The CIO's search and seizure operation reportedly included mobile phones of Min and deputy special counsel Park Sang-jin, who was in charge of the investigation into Yun.

Min's office allegedly secured testimony from Yun that he delivered two luxury watches and tens of millions of won to former Oceans Minister Chun Jae-soo between 2018 and 2020. In addition, Yun reportedly testified that he also provided money and gifts to former Democratic Party lawmaker Lim Jong-seong and former United Future Party lawmaker Kim Gyu-hwan.

At that time, Min's team did not launch a formal investigation into the three politicians and left the cases only in its investigation report.

The CIO already questioned Yun, now imprisoned on bribery charges at the Seoul Detention Center, late last month and grilled two investigators from Min's team recently.

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