The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office(SPO) has ordered a reinvestigation of perjury charges against the mother-in-law of former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl. 

According to the legal community on Tuesday, the SPO ordered the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office to launch a fresh probe into the allegation after partially accepting a re-appeal by Baek Eun-jong, the head of the left-leaning YouTube channel, The Voice of Seoul.  

The suspicion revolves around Yoon’s mother-in-law surnamed Choi and a businessman surnamed Jeong, who were known to have made joint investments in a sports facility in Seoul. 

Jeong filed lawsuits against Choi in 2003, claiming that Choi promised to equally split some five-point-three billion won in proceeds from the investment and that she did not follow through. 

In response, Choi argued that she was coerced to make the promise and filed counter lawsuits against Jeong, accusing him of coercion and attempted fraud. The Supreme Court found Jeong guilty and sentenced him to two years in prison in 2006. 

Last year, YouTuber Baek had filed a legal complaint against the ex-prosecutor chief’s mother-in-law Choi and his wife, arguing that Choi gave false testimony in court regarding the case. Baek accused Choi and her daughter of perjury and forgery of private documents. 

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office decided not to indict Choi and her daughter on both accounts and the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office dismissed Baek’s appeal. 

However, the SPO decided to resend the case to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office on Tuesday, calling for a new investigation into the perjury charge involving Choi.