The Prosecutor’s Office’s Proposal Chapter 13

Going up to the 5th floor, I noticed that, unlike last time, the investigators and the administrative clerk were all seated at their desks. They say prosecutor’s offices are usually crowded with people coming in for questioning, but at the time I visited, it was quiet without a single visitor. I felt burdened by the gazes focusing toward the door, but I kept my head down, pretending to be calm on the surface.

“Hello, I am Chief Lee Chaeha from the Fine Section.”

I greeted the senior staff members politely and stepped forward to Prosecutor Joo Taeson. I bowed most respectfully toward him.

“Hello, Prosecutor.”

Prosecutor Joo Taeson stood up from his seat and pointed with his index finger toward the office next door. I understood and went into the inner room, and he followed right behind me and closed the door. Then, he looked down at me steadily and tilted his head to the side with a smiling face.

“So, you just flick a file via messenger and that’s it?”

Since he was wearing a smile, his reprimand toward me felt even colder. I had forgotten that in the Public Prosecutors’ Office, the default is to print out all documents and deliver them to the prosecutor. The fact that I had sent the file without thinking, just like I did in my police days, stuck in my throat like a bone I’d swallowed wrong. I stiffened my shoulders for a moment, then realized my mistake immediately and apologized.

“…I should have printed it out and delivered it. I’m sorry.”

“Unless there is a massive amount of material, always print it out.”

“I will correct that.”

When told to jump, I have to ask how high.

I was fed up with the vertical culture where I was constantly being reprimanded for minor things, but I faithfully submitted. It’s my fault for choosing the National Police University, and it’s my failure for choosing the Public Prosecutors’ Office even after getting burned there, I repeated to myself.

Just as he was about to open his mouth, I suddenly heard a voice outside looking for Prosecutor Joo.

“Is Prosecutor Joo not at his desk?”

Prosecutor Joo stood with his back to me and pulled the door open.

“I’m here, Chief Tak.”

Even though I could only see his back, I had the feeling that Prosecutor Joo was smiling at the Chief Prosecutor. This was because his voice as he greeted Chief Tak sounded quite pleased.

“Prosecutor Joo, why is it so hard to see your face these days?”

“Because our departments are different. I’m in the 1st Division, and you’re in the 2nd, Chief.”

“Still, you should ask to eat together and come by to say hello. By the way, who is that behind you?”

“This is Chief Lee Chaeha from the Fine Section.”

At Prosecutor Joo’s sudden introduction, I stepped out three paces and bowed my head through the gap in the door.

“Hello, Chief. I am Chief Lee Chaeha from the Fine Section.”

As soon as Chief Tak confirmed my face, he accepted my greeting with a surprisingly gentle attitude.

“Ah, Chief Lee Chaeha. I remember you. Has it been a little over a month since you were assigned here?”

“Yes, Chief.”

“Nice to meet you. When you came for your induction, you seemed nervous, but seeing you now, you look comfortable, which is good. Of course, since you are still adjusting, there must be many difficult aspects.”

“Not at all. I am doing well.”

It was impressive that he remembered me from just the one time I had shown my face for the induction greeting, and that he welcomed me in such a friendly tone. He was a superior with a kind expression that was hard to find in the police or prosecution. His gentle gaze moved from me to Prosecutor Joo.

“Our Prosecutor Joo gets more handsome by the day.”

“If you have nothing useful to say, why don’t you just head out.”

“So cold…. By the way, according to rumors I’ve heard lately, you’re sitting on cases and just letting them rot, Prosecutor Joo.”

“Me? That’s the first I’m hearing of that.”

“The Russian Koryo-in corpse case.”

Chief Tak’s affable voice accurately carried the name of the case I was deeply involved in. I was startled, as if I had become an accomplice to Prosecutor Joo, but I only flinched my shoulders and remained silent behind him like his shadow.

“How long has it been since that was sent over with a non-indictment opinion? Why are you sitting on it for days? The 1st Division Chief is sick and tired of you holding onto it because you’re afraid an accidental or natural death might actually be a murder case, and he’s talking absolute trash behind your back. Do you not know that if you keep dragging it out, you’ll be marked by the higher-ups? By tradition, a prosecutor or investigator is acknowledged the faster and more thoroughly they crush a case.”

The tone of their conversation clearly revealed that the two were very close friends. Despite Chief Tak’s interference, Prosecutor Joo replied in a voice tinged with laughter.

“Do you not know that I’m already marked? I’ll handle my own work. I was cast aside by the central office a long time ago, so what’s the point of worrying about the higher-ups now? You’re the one who seems to have a lot of free time these days, Chief Tak. Seeing as you’re even taking an interest in the non-indictment cases of other departments.”

Prosecutor Joo’s attitude carried the ease of a veteran socialite who had endured life in the Public Prosecutors’ Office for a long time. Unlike me, he was relaxed even under the scolding of a superior, and he did not hesitate to bring up the fact that he had been marked by the higher-ups due to whistleblowing after the suicide case of Prosecutor Yoon Soyeon.

Chief Tak clicked his tongue.

“The way this bastard talks is just… I’m only concerned because it’s your business, you punk. But about that corpse, they say the cause of death is drugs, right? Not nicotine.”

“You even know the autopsy results?”

“The rumor is all over the neighborhood. Well, it’s the first time someone from Primorsky Krai has died, so since people here and there are talking about it, wouldn’t it reach my ears? Did he really die because of drugs?”

“Yes, it was a drug-induced death. Philopon. A small amount of nicotine was detected, but it wasn’t a lethal dose. Stop digging into cases that are currently under investigation and go on your way.”

“…Alright. I know you’re busy, so I’m sorry for interrupting you for so long. Chief Lee, keep up the hard work. Sorry for the unnecessary interference. It looks like you two have something to talk about.”

I hadn’t expected him to greet me again, so I was off-guard, but I quickly bowed my head and replied.

“Not at all, Chief. I look forward to seeing you again.”

As Chief Tak left, he even waved at me and checked on the welfare of the other office staff before finally heading out. It was a visit that had stirred up the whole office.

Prosecutor Joo shook his head from side to side and closed the door to the auxiliary office, but it was clear that he was in an excellent mood. I asked, partly to be polite and partly to satisfy my curiosity.

“You seem to be close with the Chief Prosecutor.”

“Chief Tak is a friend of my late father. He was also a fellow alumnus of the same university as me, so I received a lot of help after my father passed away. I think he thinks of me as more special because I’m one of the last people to pass the judicial examination. Since all the juniors in the legal profession now are from law schools.”

“I see.”

I had heard more explanation than I had intended. That meant the relationship between Chief Tak and Prosecutor Joo was common knowledge within the office. If not, there would have been no reason for him to be so honest with a low-level employee like me.

“Take a seat. I wasted your time, Chief Lee, because of Chief Tak.”

“Not at all, Prosecutor.”

As I sat on the sofa, I noticed that my printed report was lying on the table. I felt a little embarrassed for no reason. Prosecutor Joo sat opposite me, flipped through the report he had already seen once, and asked.

“Chief Lee’s opinion is that the Koryo-in Mr. Kim was a drug mule, and it is highly likely that he entered Korea by swallowing bags containing Philopon. Via body packing. That’s how he passed through the Incheon Airport security checkpoint safely and also passed the drug-sniffing dogs.”

“Assuming that is the case, the wounds on the esophagus can be explained. Because he has to vomit the bags back up. Usually, they swallow more than twenty to move them.”

“If this assumption is true, the reason Mr. Kim died must be that he failed to vomit back one of the bags.”

“I think so as well, Prosecutor. That would explain the vinyl fragments remaining in his stomach and the abnormally high concentration of Philopon. The figures are too high for it to have been an accidental overdose by an individual.”

“It’s a good hypothesis… but it still doesn’t explain the one needle mark remaining on his neck and the nicotine concentration.”

I thought he was really thorough, considering the nicotine concentration wasn’t even a lethal dose. Even for a smoker, the concentration was high, but it was a matter unrelated to the death.

The same went for the needle mark. Drug offenders are often dazed, so it is common for them to accidentally prick themselves with a needle.

Regardless, I had been reprimanded, so I had to answer, even if it sounded like an excuse.

“Usually, drug addicts are also smokers, so I didn’t consider that….”

“I also think he was likely a smoker, but no cigarettes were found on the corpse. Well, I know there is a high probability that the body disposer threw away the cigarettes along with the phone and belongings. The needle mark remaining on his neck could also be a mistake.”

“That is correct.”

“Anyway, if we go by Chief Lee’s hypothesis, the probability of him having been murdered drops even further. Because it is more reasonable to view it as him having miscalculated the number of bags he swallowed and failing to vomit one back up.”