The inspection department of the Supreme Public Prosecutors Office (SPPO) has seized a mobile phone that former and incumbent SPPO spokespersons had used, as part of an investigation into cases allegedly involving opposition presidential nominee Yoon Seok-youl.

The official phone, which had been used by current SPPO spokesperson Suh In-sun and her two predecessors, was seized on Oct. 29, as the inspection office pressured Suh to turn the device in voluntarily or face an inspection for noncooperation, sources said.

The seized phone was no longer in use since Suh switched to a new official phone. The seizure sparked criticism the SPPO is trying to spy on the press, as SPPO spokespersons use official phones to respond to queries from reporters.

The inspection office said the seizure was part of an investigation into cases allegedly involving former Prosecutor General Yoon, including allegations that the top prosecutors' office conspired with the main opposition People Power Party to open an investigation into key ruling camp figures.

Prosecutors conducted forensics on the seized phone and handed over data from it to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) on Friday. The CIO has been looking into the political meddling scandal involving Yoon.

The handover raised criticism that the CIO used irregular means to secure data from the seized phone without going through the difficult process of seeking official court warrants to seize the device.

Yoon was prosecutor general until his retirement in early March. Since then, he joined the main opposition party and was selected as its standard-bearer for the March 9 presidential election. (Yonhap)