The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 60

The Trial (3)

“…Therefore, the Judge was apprehended at the scene and is currently being interrogated. We have formally requested an arrest warrant, and the Judge, Song Hana, has admitted to all charges and has been transferred from the investigation headquarters to the detention center at Gangnam Police Station. This concludes the brief on the Judge. I will now take questions.”

No sooner had I finished speaking than the reporters, who had been watching me, raised their hands as if competing with each other.

It felt like every reporter in the room had their hand up, without exaggeration.

I pointed to the nearest reporter.

“Jang Hong-soon from Politics First. Can you elaborate on the circumstances of the Judge’s arrest?”

That was the most welcome question.

It might sound immodest to say it myself, but my contribution was most evident in the arrest details.

“Well, it’s a long story… but I’ll tell you as much as you’re all curious about.”

I cleared my throat and began to speak slowly.

“When I first took on this case, I realized during the investigation that the people appearing on were the Judge’s targets.”

“Are you referring to the PBC [a South Korean broadcasting company] broadcast program ?”

“Yes, that program.”

The reporters became busy taking notes, seemingly not expecting the mention of .

Of course, I had decided in advance to avoid directly stating that I had put Yoo Dong-hyun on the Judge’s target list, as it could cause social controversy.

Those trying to attack me would surely find fault with it.

“Shortly after, while talking to the PD [program director] of the program, I learned that a broadcast dealing with the case of this victim was scheduled to air. So, I coordinated the broadcast date with the PD in advance and assigned detectives to the victim through the investigation headquarters to protect them from the Judge.”

Adjusting the broadcast schedule was not a problem, unlike directly targeting the victim.

And since I phrased it as ensuring the victim’s safety from the Judge by assigning detectives, there would be no room for controversy.

“After that, considering the Judge’s crime pattern and the victim’s movements, we laid an ambush in advance. As expected, the Judge appeared at the scene to kill the ninth victim. Thanks to that, we were able to arrest the Judge as a flagrant offender without the victim losing their life.”

I didn’t mention Reporter Park Soo-hyung.

There was no need to reveal my secret connection with him to the world.

Of course, I had informed him of this in advance so that he wouldn’t feel left out.

The relationship between a reporter and a prosecutor becomes stronger as it goes deeper underground.

“In addition to planning all the situations and elements in the process of inducing the Judge…”

As I elaborated on a few additional matters, the reporters’ seats began to stir beyond description.

The fact that the Judge’s case itself was planned, that the target was identified in advance, and that they were protected from the crime would surely be a fresh shock to the reporters and the public.

It was no different from the planned investigation seen in movies being realized in reality.

In fact, if I were to say that I had created the target myself, the repercussions would be indescribable, but I was slightly disappointed that I couldn’t say that fact out loud.

While I was in the middle of answering questions, I noticed Reporter Park Soo-hyung raising his hand in the distance, so I pointed to him immediately.

“Park Soo-hyung from WK Daily. So, in this case, did Prosecutor Choi Seo-joon directly plan and direct all the events?”

This was the assist.

“If you want to put it that way, yes, but the arrest in this case was the result of the police and prosecution working together, so it would be difficult to attribute it to one person’s credit.”

“That’s a modest statement. Thank you for the explanation.”

Reporter Park Soo-hyung smiled and sat down.

Even though I said it like this, tomorrow’s headlines were obvious.

‘As expected, Choi Seo-joon solves the Judge case as the head of the joint police-prosecution investigation headquarters!’

Since I had the virtue of humility in Korea, the media and public opinion would all be on my side.

At that moment, a female reporter in the distance caught my eye as she raised her hand.

When I pointed to her, she immediately stood up as if she had been waiting and opened her mouth.

“Park Hae-yoon from Fact Punch.”

Fact Punch was a newspaper that had bitten me once before.

If I remember correctly, Reporter Park Hae-yoon criticized the joint police-prosecution investigation headquarters and made a scathing critique of my incompetence.

She probably wasn’t a reporter with an ordinary perspective.

“So far, the police have not found any evidence against the Judge. But I heard that the perpetrator is a typical psychopath. Is there a possibility that they falsely confessed to being the Judge, not being the perpetrator of the previous Judge cases, simply to attract attention?”

As expected, she was saying essentially the same thing that Inspector Kim Hyung-seok had said before I came here.

It was the moment when it became clear that she had joined hands with my opposition forces, not just suspicion.

She was either planted directly by Inspector Kim Hyung-seok or was planted by someone related to him who was trying to interfere with me.

I was going to let it go, but I couldn’t because I was so annoyed.

The prosecution helped the police, who were being criticized, and formed a joint investigation headquarters to catch the Judge, but instead of thanking them, they were nitpicking.

I took a deep breath and opened my mouth.

“Of course, we cannot conclude that Song Hana is the Judge based solely on her confession. As a result of the investigation so far, the traces of the weapon remaining on the head of the second victim match the weapon that Song Hana was holding when she was arrested at the scene, and we are securing additional evidence.”

“Is that all?”

“No. We are conducting a large-scale search of the area where Song Hana discarded the weapon, and we are also conducting additional investigations through search warrants at the suspect’s home.”

I looked straight at Reporter Park Hae-yoon and continued.

“And we are separately collecting evidence that the police failed to secure when the incidents occurred and are verifying it through the NDFC [National Digital Forensics Center].”

The venue began to stir at the words ‘evidence that the police failed to secure.’

It was no different from implying the incompetence of the police.

In short, I had thrown a challenge to Chief Kim, who represented the police.

Of course, it was a gamble with an 80% or higher chance of winning, based on the news I had heard from the NDFC so far.

I had to go this far to give a clear impact on the person named Choi Seo-joon.

That way, even if Chief Prosecutor Kim Jae-wook tried to keep me in check, he wouldn’t be able to help but give me the position of senior prosecutor.

Real power begins when you go up to the position of senior prosecutor.

I can do as many shows as necessary to get to a high place.

“We will inform you of the facts through a press conference as soon as the analysis results of the evidence are available. That’s all.”

I threw a piece of bait called incompetent police to the reporters, who were like hyenas, and left neatly.

***

That evening, I called Reporter Park Soo-hyung to my officetel [a Korean term for a multi-purpose building with residential and commercial units] separately.

“Congratulations, Prosecutor.”

“Oh, it’s nothing. It’s all thanks to you, Reporter.”

“Hahaha, I just did what you told me to do, and I’m about to receive the Reporter of the Month award. Hahaha!”

He burst into a hearty laugh and then asked cautiously.

“I was in the hallway taking a call after I arrived, and it seemed like someone was leaving this place. I wonder if anyone noticed…”

He must be talking about Prosecutor Lee Doo-hyung, who left 10 minutes ago.

“Oh, you don’t have to worry. He’s my junior.”

“Your junior?”

“Yes. A junior prosecutor in the special investigation department.”

“If you’re bringing your junior here…”

“I’m testing him. Whether he’s the type to be properly under me or not.”

I changed the subject, saying just enough without going into details, as it was still too early.

“By the way, you should write a follow-up article.”

His eyes lit up at the words ‘follow-up article.’

“Perhaps the NDFC test results…”

“No. I’m sorry, but I think I should talk about that through a press conference.”

“Ah, I see.”

Reporter Park Soo-hyung clicked his tongue in disappointment but soon shook his head.

He wasn’t greedy enough to overstep his bounds.

“I need you to write an article.”

“If it’s an article you want, Prosecutor, I can even write an article criticizing the president of WK Daily.”

He said it half-jokingly, but judging from his expression, there was some sincerity in it.

Well, knowing his personality, he might really do it if I told him to.

“It’s nothing special, just exposing the reality of the police. Aren’t articles criticizing the police popping up like mushrooms today?”

He nodded with interest.

“That’s right. You have to add fuel to the burning fire.”

In fact, after today’s press conference, stories criticizing the police were appearing in all sorts of articles.

-As expected, Choi Seo-joon! Collects and supplements evidence missed by the police. What on earth did the incompetent police do?

-The prosecution is indeed a cut above! Proves the difference in class with the police

-Where is Choi Seo-joon’s limit? High possibility of becoming the youngest senior prosecutor

-It was revealed that all the police did during the nine Judge cases was to identify the fact that ‘Judge = female’…

-Realization of the planned investigation that I had only heard about! Vivid arrest scene heard from neighbors! “It was like a scene from a movie.”

-Where did you plan it from? Digging into the beginning and end of Prosecutor Choi Seo-joon’s big picture

-The police, the staff of the people? No, the police, the mold of the people!

Headlines praising me or criticizing the police.

All sorts of portal sites were plastered with such titles.

“In this situation, if Reporter Park Soo-hyung hits another exclusive report, you won’t just receive the Reporter of the Month award, but you’ll fill your performance for this quarter even if you play for the rest of the period, right?”

“Exclusive?”

Reporter Park Soo-hyung swallowed hard.

“Ah, of course, it’s an anonymous tip.”

I smiled and said.

“It’s a kind of accusation that I want to reveal the conversation between Prosecutor Choi Seo-joon, the head of the joint police-prosecution investigation headquarters, and Inspector Kim Hyung-seok, the practical head of the investigation headquarters’ police?”

“In that case, the informant must be anonymous.”

He twisted his lips and took out a recorder.

“I’ll write it very deliciously.”

“I’ll look forward to it.”

“Wait, then I can add a little fiction?”

“Of course.”

I crossed my legs widely and began to speak.

“Ah, I didn’t want to talk about this if I could help it, but I feel so bad.”

Reporter Park Soo-hyung began to shine his eyes again.

“If it’s a joint police-prosecution investigation, the prosecution and the police have to work together, but strangely, Inspector Kim Hyung-seok, that is, Chief Kim, seems to be trying to interfere with the investigation.”

“Interfere with the investigation?”

“Yes. Just before today’s press conference, Prosecutor Choi Seo-joon was heading to the press conference, and Inspector Kim Hyung-seok came to visit without notice. Suddenly, he brought up the corroboration rule.”

I started telling the story in a very interesting way so that those who read this article couldn’t help but be interested.