Police vow crackdown on online secondary abuse targeting victims in Jang Yun-gi case

The special investigation unit of the Korean National Police Agency tasked with uncovering the truth in the Jang Yun-gi case said Thursday it would take strict action against secondary abuse targeting the victims — including the murdered high school girl — and their families.

The unit said spreading unverified information online as though it were fact "constitutes a clear crime subject to criminal punishment," adding that the agency's secondary-abuse crimes investigation division is currently monitoring such activity.

The unit also said reports by some media outlets claiming that photos of the victim had been found on Jang's phone "are not true," and expressed concern that unverified, definitive claims could inflict further harm on the victim and her family.

At a press briefing Wednesday, the unit announced it had found circumstances suggesting Jang had known the victim one-sidedly before the killing and was conducting additional investigation into the matter.

Those circumstances were discovered on a spare phone Jang had in his possession when arrested. The unit said the additional investigation was launched to correct errors made by the initial investigative team, which had failed to verify even key facts at the outset of the case.

Meanwhile, Ministry of Interior and Safety Minister Yun Ho-jung issued a public apology Thursday over allegations that police investigators handling the Jang Yun-gi case had destroyed evidence and downplayed charges.

Speaking at a public address at Government Complex Seoul in Jongno-gu, Yun said, "As the minister of interior and safety, who bears responsibility for the lives and safety of the people, I offer my deepest condolences and words of comfort to the bereaved family of the victim, and I sincerely apologize to the public for causing such grave concern."