On June 5, the Incheon District Prosecutors Office Criminal Division 6, led by Chief Prosecutor Choi Jong Pil, announced the indictment of a police officer from the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency and an investigator from the Incheon District Prosecutors Office. Both were charged without detention for leaking confidential information related to the drug investigation involving the late actor Lee Sun Gyun.
The police officer, referred to as Officer A, is accused of violating the Official Secrets Act. Officer A allegedly provided a journalist with an internal report that contained details about the progress of the drug investigation. The report was prepared on October 18 in 2023 by the Narcotics Crime Investigation Division of the Incheon Police Agency and included the names, criminal records, identities, and occupations of individuals involved in the case, including Lee Sun Gyun.
Investigator B is accused of sharing similar confidential information with a newspaper reporter. On October 19 in 2023, the newspaper published an exclusive article reporting that a top actor was under investigation for suspected drug use. It was later revealed that the article referred to Lee Sun Gyun.
A third person, identified as Journalist C, has also been indicted. Journalist C allegedly received the leaked report from Officer A and provided the information to another reporter. This action led to charges for violating the Personal Information Protection Act.
The case has drawn significant public attention and criticism regarding the handling of sensitive information in celebrity-related investigations. Lee Sun Gyun was under police investigation in 2023 on suspicion of drug use. He passed away on December 27 in the same year. Before his death, he requested a private summons for police questioning, but the request was denied. As a result, he was publicly photographed by the media, which caused widespread controversy and public outrage. Many called for a thorough investigation into how confidential information about the case was leaked to the press.
The indictments are viewed as a step toward holding public officials accountable and addressing concerns about the protection of privacy and fairness during criminal investigations involving public figures.
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