Opposition lawmaker searched over suspected leak of justice minister’s personal info

Police seized the mobile phone of Rep. Choe Kang-wook of the main opposition Democratic Party on Monday in a raid conducted as part of an investigation into the alleged leak of personal information of Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon.

Investigators from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency confiscated Choe’s phone in front of his home in the city of Yongin, south of Seoul, and searched his office at the National Assembly to seize other evidence, officials said.

They are looking into the alleged leak of Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon and his family’s personal information, such as copies of the residence registration document and real estate contracts,

The investigation began after a member of Seoul’s Gangseo Ward Council filed a complaint accusing a person, surnamed Seo, of violating the Personal Information Protection Act after that person handed him information on Han and his family.

The information was allegedly leaked after being submitted to the National Assembly for Han’s confirmation hearing last year, and police searched the car and the home of an MBC reporter last week over her alleged involvement in the leak.

Police suspect the confirmation hearing data of Han was leaked via Choe to the MBC reporter and a left-wing YouTuber and then to Seo.

Rep. Choe decried the search as “outrageous and preposterous.”