Police have agreed to review the high-profile academic and copyright allegations surrounding the daughter of independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon, following fresh pressure during parliamentary audits in Seoul. The inquiry centers on whether prior investigative steps were sufficient and whether prosecutors properly handled international judicial requests.
During parliamentary audits on October 12, acting National Police Agency Commissioner General Kim Chong-chul addressed persistent questions regarding an investigation that had previously concluded without charges in December 2023.
Lawmakers from the Democratic Party pressed police officials over the scope and depth of the original probe. Opposition members argued that investigators failed to execute searches or conduct thorough in-person questioning while examining allegations involving academic papers and electronic publishing.
Police Consider Reinvestigating Academic Credential Allegations
During the National Assembly Public Administration and Security Committee audit, lawmakers scrutinized the 1-year and 8-month investigation conducted by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. Investigators had previously examined allegations that Han’s daughter used questionable credentials and outsourced assistance for academic work submitted during high school.
Acting Commissioner General Kim acknowledged that the earlier inquiry left room for improvement. When pressed on whether law enforcement would revisit the file, Kim stated that authorities would not rule out a full reinvestigation if new factual evidence or formal complaints were brought forward according to official testimony.
If new facts come to light, we will not rule out the possibility of a complete reinvestigation.
Kim Chong-chul, Acting National Police Agency Commissioner General
By October 14, civic organizations including the People’s Livelihood Economy Research Institute and Seoul Voice filed formal complaints with the National Police Agency and the Major Crime Investigation Office targeting the handling of the case.
The progressive groups, alongside figures such as Democratic Party lawmaker Park Gyun-taek, argued that while former Justice Minister Cho Kuk faced intense scrutiny including dozens of search-and-seizure operations, the investigation into Han’s family proceeded without a single police raid or direct suspect interrogation during the initial multi-year review.
Democratic Party lawmaker Yoon Gun-young presented specific data during the October 12 proceedings showing that investigators summoned the original accuser six times but questioned the target of the complaint through written inquiries on a single occasion. Opposition politicians contended that the active inquiry languished due to its high-profile connection to the sitting justice minister at the time.
Investigators Scrutinize Electronic Book Sales on Amazon
At the heart of the renewed scrutiny is a specific dispute over copyright and electronic publishing. Investigators previously examined allegations that Han’s daughter reformatted math problems originating from an overseas author into an electronic book and sold it on Amazon for 0.99 dollars during her high school years.
In November 2022, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency sought an international criminal judicial assistance request through the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office to verify overseas data. However, prosecutors in December 2022 decided not to forward the request to the Ministry of Justice, determining the matter was minor and insufficiently substantiated.
Civic groups and opposition lawmakers argue that halting the international cooperation request without forwarding it upward constituted a dereliction of duty. They have asked investigators to examine whether Han—who served as Minister of Justice at the time—exercised any influence over the decision within the prosecutorial chain of command.
Prosecutor Gong Bong-sook later defended the decision over social media, stating that the request involved a single minor copyright violation, lacked the documentation required for a successful foreign inquiry, and was properly dismissed by the sixth criminal division without any intervention from superiors.
Han has vigorously defended his family against the accusations.
Laptop Donations Linked to Youth Volunteer Awards
The renewed debate also brought attention to a separate 2020 contribution involving computer equipment. Records obtained by lawmakers from local governments showed that Han’s daughter referenced organizing the donation of approximately 50 laptop computers to welfare facilities when applying for youth volunteer honors in 2021.
Those volunteer contributions served as the basis for receiving a Seoul Metropolitan Government citizen award and an Incheon City Council chairperson award. Critics argued that utilizing corporate connections through family acquaintances to secure equipment donations amounted to using parental influence to bolster academic resumes ahead of university admissions.
Additional questions were raised regarding volunteer tutoring activities conducted at a local children’s center in Anyang, with opposition lawmakers demanding photographic proof or verifiable logs of the distance learning sessions to confirm participation.
Defenders of the lawmaker countered that the opposition's campaign is politically motivated.
Opposition Strategists Weigh Impact of Potential Proceedings
While opposition strategists view the reinvestigation as an opening to challenge Han’s anti-corruption platform, some party insiders have cautioned that an excessive focus on the lawmaker might inadvertently elevate his national profile.
With police agencies evaluating whether to initiate formal proceedings based on the newly submitted complaints, investigators face mounting pressure to determine if tangible grounds exist to reopen the multi-year inquiry into the family’s academic credentials.