Seoul prosecutors on Tuesday indicted without physical detention the mother-in-law of Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl on fraud charges and violations of the nation’s medical law.
Prosecutors believe that Yoon’s mother-in-law, surnamed Choi, established a medical foundation in November 2012 even though she was not qualified to do so. They also suspect Choi pocketed nearly two-point-three billion won in medical care allowances between May 2013 and May 2015 through her involvement in the establishment and operation of a long-term care hospital in Paju, Gyeonggi Province.
Three of Choi’s business partners were found previously guilty of fraud and violating the nation’s medical law. They received medical allowances from the National Health Insurance Service for the Paju hospital even though the institute was not established in accordance with the nation’s medical law.
Choi was not indicted on these charges as she signed a document that absolved her of all responsibilities regarding the hospital when she withdrew from the co-chief director post in May 2014.
However, earlier in April, a group of Open Democratic Party lawmakers filed a complaint against Choi and Yoon, saying Yoon intervened in the prosecution’s decision not to indict Choi. The charge against the top prosecutor was dismissed.
In revisiting the case, the prosecution has reportedly secured testimony from one of Choi’s former business partners that the document absolving her of all responsibility was fabricated.