10-8-2024 (SEOUL)Â In a shocking turn of events, a senior official from South Korea’s Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) was discovered deceased in his apartment on Thursday morning. The official, who had been at the forefront of several politically charged investigations, is believed to have taken his own life, leaving behind a suicide note.
The body was found at approximately 9:50 a.m. by an individual who had gone to check on the official after he failed to report to work and was unresponsive to calls. Local authorities have launched an investigation to determine the precise circumstances surrounding the death.
The deceased, who had recently served as the acting director of the ACRC’s anti-corruption bureau, was responsible for overseeing a range of integrity policies and high-profile investigations. Notably, he had been involved in examining politically sensitive cases, including the controversial use of a helicopter by opposition leader Lee Jae-myung following a knife attack in January.
Perhaps most significantly, the official had been tasked with investigating allegations against first lady Kim Keon Hee, who faced accusations of improperly receiving a luxury Christian Dior handbag valued at 3 million won (approximately $2,198). The case, dubbed the “luxury handbag scandal”, was closed by the ACRC in June after a panel review determined there were no violations of anti-graft laws, as there are no punishment clauses for the spouses of public officials.
However, this decision appears to have placed considerable strain on the official. According to reports from JTBC, the deceased had recently confided in a friend about feeling “immense psychological pressure” from senior ACRC officials to close the case despite his reservations.
The gravity of the situation was further underscored by a Kakao Talk message sent by the official to an acquaintance on Tuesday, expressing feelings of being “psychologically overwhelmed” and apologising for recent disappointments.
Last month, the official had also appeared before a parliamentary hearing to field questions from lawmakers, adding to the intense scrutiny surrounding his work.
