<Anchor>



Prosecutors investigating the 'Ministry of Industry's Blacklist' allegation have requested an arrest warrant for former Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Baek Un-gyu.

The court's substantive examination of the warrant to decide whether to arrest will be held tomorrow (15th). 



Reporter Park Ye-rin.



<Reporter>



The charge that the prosecution applied yesterday when it requested a preliminary arrest warrant for former Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Baek Un-gyu is abuse of power.



Former Minister Baek is accused of coercing the heads of 13 existing agencies under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy to submit a resignation letter from 2017, when the Moon Jae-in administration was in the early stages of the government, to the following year.



Prosecutors also found that former Minister Paik provided unreasonable support in the process of appointing a successor to an agency.



Prosecutors believe that in another agency, former Minister Baek ordered to cancel the internal personnel decision already implemented.



Prosecutors summoned former Minister Baek for the first time on the 9th and investigated these allegations for 14 hours, and it is said that former Minister Baek completely denied the allegations throughout the investigation process.



Previously, former Minister Paik publicly claimed innocence during the search and seizure process of his home and Hanyang University office.



[Baek Un-gyu / Former Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy (last May 19th): I want to tell you that we were instructed to do that, and we did not move like that, and we always followed the laws and regulations and handled our work.]



However, the prosecution is confident of proving the charges, saying that it has secured material evidence and statements to prove the allegation of abuse of power.



The warrant review for former Minister Baek will be held at the Seoul Eastern District Court tomorrow morning.



If the new recruits of former Minister Baek are secured, the prosecution's investigation is likely to target the Moon Jae-in government's upper-level Blue House, so attention is focused on whether or not to arrest him.