Anchor: A special counsel team has opened its headquarters and marked the start of a probe into a set of missing banknote straps — key evidence that prosecutors claim to have lost while investigating corruption allegations surrounding former first lady Kim Keon-hee. At a signboard ceremony at the new office in Seoul on Saturday, special counsel Ahn Kwon-seop pledged to get to the bottom of the case.
Kim Bum-soo has more. 

Report: Last year while investigating Geon Jin, a shaman with alleged ties to former first lady Kim Keon-hee, prosecutors seized a stash of cash from his residence — 50 million won in fresh bills still wrapped in Bank of Korea straps.

But when the prosecution transferred its files on the shaman to the independent counsel team in charge of the case against Kim, there were no signs of the central bank straps marked with information that could indicate the origin of the cash.

On Saturday, special counsel Ahn Kwon-seop and his two deputies opened a headquarters in Seoul for the inquiry and promised to get to the bottom of the missing evidence.

[Sound bite: Special counsel Ahn Kwon-seop (Korean-English)] 
“I feel a heavy weight on my shoulders. I will do my best to uncover the truth of the incident from an objective standpoint, and I will make a fair decision based on the investigation results.”

While the ruling camp suspects the evidence was destroyed to protect those connected to the controversial shaman, the prosecutors and investigators who initially seized the cash said it was an honest mistake. 

The 30-member special prosecution team has up to 90 days to investigate the matter, as well as another case concerning the online retail company Coupang.

Ranking prosecutors are alleged to have wielded undue pressure to drop charges against Coupang, which was accused of failing to pay severance to its workers.

Asked which case takes priority, Ahn said both carry equal weight.
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News.