Police seek arrest warrant for detective who allegedly destroyed evidence in Jang Yun-gi case

Police on Tuesday applied for an arrest warrant for Detective Inspector A, the investigation team leader at Gwangju Gwangsan Police Station who handled the case of Jang Yun-gi, the suspect in the killing of a high school girl in Gwangju. The inspector is accused of destroying a cable tie — a key piece of evidence for a rape-murder charge — during a search and seizure of Jang's vehicle. A special investigation team said it also plans to look into alleged collusion between Jang's father and Detective Inspector A and other members of the original investigation team.

The Korean National Police Agency's special investigation team for the Gwangju Gwangsan Police Station murder case — led by Hong Jang-deuk, the agency's investigation and human rights officer — announced the warrant application in a press notice Tuesday.

Detective Inspector A is accused of destroying the cable tie during a search and seizure of Jang's vehicle shortly after the incident on May 5. During the on-site search, the investigation team found the cable tie inside the vehicle before the forensic unit arrived but failed to secure it as evidence.

The case has drawn widespread outrage as the disappearance of the key piece of evidence for a rape-murder charge — which would carry a minimum sentence of life imprisonment — may prevent the most serious charges from being applied to Jang.

Investigators are also examining alleged ties between Detective Inspector A and other members of the investigation team and Jang's father, a serving police officer in the Gwangju area who holds the rank of inspector.

The special investigation team, which was expanded to 27 members on Monday, received six additional investigators Tuesday morning from the Korean National Police Agency's serious crimes investigation division.

The special investigation team said it plans to conduct a broad investigation into all parties involved "to clarify in detail the charges related to evidence destruction and the circumstances surrounding them," adding that it would pursue the case "thoroughly and strictly so that not a single public doubt remains."