The Cheong Wa Dae intelligence report on Chung Yoon-hoi was leaked by police inspectors Choi and Han, the prosecution tentatively announced Tuesday.

Chung, a former aide of President Park Geun-hye, became the center of an influence peddling scandal late last month following a news report citing documents from the presidential office. In the news report, published by the Segye Ilbo newspaper, Chung was alleged to have plotted with presidential aides to meddle in state affairs.

The investigators believe that Han copied Cheong Wa Dae documents in the possession of police Superintendent Park Gwan-cheon. The investigators believe that Choi, who committed suicide Saturday, then passed the documents to the media.

The superintendent had worked in the division of the presidential office dealing with discipline within the civil service until he was reassigned in February. When leaving the presidential office, he is said to have removed a large volume of intelligence reports that he compiled, which were then accessed by Han and Choi without his knowledge.

As such, Cheong Wa Dae had initially accused Superintendent Park of being the main culprit.

Although Park is now likely to be cleared of charges related to the leaking of the documents, the prosecution plans to bring charges of violating regulations on presidential records against him.

As for the report outlining the process through which the documents were leaked to the media revealed in the National Assembly on Monday, the prosecution concluded that the report was based on false information provided by Choi.

The report, compiled by the superintendent, states that concerned documents were leaked to the media by a police officer who was assigned to Cheong Wa Dae during the Lee Myung-bak administration. 

The investigators have also concluded that both the “association of seven” and “association of 10” do not exist. The former is supposedly a group consisting of individuals connected to Park Ji-man, the president’s brother, and the latter was alleged to be an association of figures led by Chung. Park Ji-man and Chung are rumored to have been engaged in a power struggle.

The prosecution may be nearing the end of the convoluted case, but controversies generated by the scandal appear unlikely to die down soon.

In his suicide note, Choi claimed that the presidential office made Han an offer to influence his testimony in its favor.

Han also allegedly spoke to the local broadcaster JTBC, saying that presidential aides told him that he would not be indicted if he confesses, and that he was taken into custody the day after he refused to accept the offer.

Han’s lawyer, however, has denied the JTBC report, saying that his client has not talked with anyone from the broadcaster.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)