Stranger (비밀의 숲)

ALL CHARACTERS, ORGANIZATIONS, LOCATIONS, AND INCIDENTS

DEPICTED IN THIS DRAMA ARE ENTIRELY FICTITIOUS

YONGNAM BEACH DROWNING CASE

MARCH 7, 2019 AT APPROXIMATELY 20:00 YONGNAM BEACH, TONGYEONG

PROSECUTOR HWANG SI-MOK

47 ON MARCH 7, 2019

53 ON MARCH 7, 2019

53 ON MARCH 7, 2019

47 ON MARCH 7, 2019

55 ON MARCH 7, 2019

55 ON MARCH 7, 2019

The owner lives in an apartment building.

This is an old house,

but it's a guesthouse now.

The owner used to live here,

but now they just rent the place out.

Had the owners lived here,

they would've heard those students going out.

It gets quite busy here during the peak season.

But it was cold that day,

and there's no witness because of the fog.

Thank goodness someone heard them.

-We should be grateful for that. -Where was that?

An elderly lady lives alone in that house over there.

She heard them talking outside

when her favorite show was about to start at around eight o'clock.

They probably shouted something like, "Let's go to the beach!"

Did you write that in your report?

Of course, I did.

What else would I write about?

55 ON MARCH 7, 2019

According to the broadcasting station,

the evening drama began at 8:06 p.m. on March 7,

which means those students went to the beach

after the couple from Seoul cut the restriction line.

It only takes about two to three minutes by foot

from the guest house to the beach.

ESTIMATED TIME OF DEATH 19:00-20:30

Yes, this is the Tongyeong Branch Office. I called earlier.

Is Prosecutor Ryu Si-yeong not in yet?

I was told he would be in today even though today is a holiday.

I'm sorry,

but could you give me Mr. Ryu's number?

Then could you give him my number instead?

Yes, this number.

Please pass it along right away.

-This looks so good. - The institutional investors

will attend the general meeting of shareholders

to vote against the reappointment of Chairman Choi.

Moving on to the next story.

The identity of the high-ranking police officer

who leaked information about a case

the prosecution was investigating

has been revealed as Director Kim Myeong-han,

the Senior Superintendent General of the Intelligence Bureau.

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office disclosed his name

at the press briefing which took place just now

and stated that an investigation will be launched.

INTELLIGENCE BUREAU

Did you just get here?

Yes, ma'am.

Did something happen at the Reformation Unit?

No. I don't think anyone is there now.

Then what's the matter?

I wanted to ask you if you were okay,

but how could you be?

The Director of the Intelligence Bureau at HQ

is the commander of all commanders.

It's the most important position that a senior superintendent general can hold.

-Right. -Only one person in the Blue House

can open the sealed reports submitted by him,

making it easy for the prosecution to target him.

But the people who took him weren't from the prosecution.

They work on the same floor as we do.

They were from the Investigation Bureau.

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office said that he'd be summoned.

So why did our bureau…

The Director told me this story a while ago.

It was 2011, and the police and the prosecution were fighting as always.

A young prosecutor said this to him as soon as he sat down at a meeting.

"You sure have it good now, don't you?"

I know that was a long time ago.

Young prosecutors these days are polite and courteous.

But we still can't let them take the Director away.

From what I know, that has nothing to do with his summons.

Everything is connected.

What will you do, Inspector Han?

-Pardon me? -If they take me,

will you just wait and see?

I probably won't do anything.

Who'd take you? Unless they have a death wish.

-I have business to take care of here. -Yes, ma'am.

As for the Reformation Unit, keep me updated on every little detail.

Yes, ma'am.

ASSISTANT CHIEF WOO TAE-HA

Hello, Assistant Chief Woo.

Since you're not having a good day,

I'll take some work off your plate.

You won't be seeing the Director for a while.

What do you mean we snatched him?

We, the police, want to rectify our own mistakes

by finding out what actually happened.

Anyway, you've been informed.

Bye, then.

Prosecutor…

PROSECUTOR HWANG SI-MOK

What's up?

Non-prosecution? Already?

Yes. They can charge them with damaging public property,

but there was no way to prove that

the actions of the accused directly caused the accident.

He's quite the miracle worker, isn't he?

Do you know someone named Oh Ju-seon?

He was formerly a presiding judge at the High Court.

-Is he their lawyer? - Well…

I get that it's hard to prove.

And they can decide not to prosecute the case.

But how could they make the decision in just a day?

Unless they had nothing else to do.

In most cases, it takes them at least three months to process anything.

SENIOR INSPECTOR HAN YEO-JIN

Detective Jang was right.

He said they'd get special treatment.

I should file a complaint.

Don't. It'll only irritate the higher-ups.

It can't get any worse than this.

I have to go.

"It can't get any worse than this"?

I guess he's even fallen out of favor with the people there too.

ARE YOU LOOKING AT THIS NOW?

STUPID PIGS BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE

Gosh, these jerks…

I can't believe the prosecution gave them special treatment. How dare they?

As for the Reformation Unit, keep me updated on every little detail.

Special treatment…

Special treatment…

How did you hear about this?

When did you discover that there could have been an assailant?

We shouldn't call them that.

They were never indicted after all.

Do you think the prosecution made the right decision?

This is a residential area.

Please try not to inconvenience the residents.

I'll answer your questions after I meet with the bereaved.

I'm so sorry for your loss.

Did you not hear

that someone had removed the restriction line?

Didn't anyone tell you?

-You see… -Yes, sir.

I couldn't buy him these shoes.

I'm his father, but I couldn't even…

But he said it was okay and that he'd just get a part-time job.

He only got to wear these for a few days…

I'm truly sorry that the prosecution

didn't try harder to solve your son's case.

Did my son really die because of those people?

If the prosecution's initial investigation was inadequate,

can't you get them to reinvestigate it?

The police apprehended the suspects,

but the prosecution…

I'm sorry, but it won't be easy to get them to revoke their decision.

This is from that afternoon.

Look, my son was alive and healthy.

He was on a trip.

He left the house saying he was going on a trip.

So why hasn't he come home?

Sir, I'm sorry,

but may I take a look at the photos of your son?

He was a good son who sent photos to his family

until his final moments.

But people have criticized him saying that his death

was caused by his own recklessness.

The bereaved was not even aware

that someone had removed the restriction line.

By disclosing the photos sent by one of the victims before his death,

the police have implied that the prosecution

should be held accountable as they have the authority to close cases.

Though the prosecutor who first dealt with the case

filed a complaint pointing out the unfairness of the decision,

the case was closed only a few days after a lawyer

who used to be a judge took the case.

This is the reality of the Prosecution's service to this country.

Do you think the prosecution conducted a hasty investigation?

If no change is made to the prosecution's investigative authority,

such special treatment

will continue to be given

-to its former and current officials. -This case has reignited the debate

over reform of the police and prosecution's investigative authority.

Commissioner General Song Jin-gyu

met with Justice Minister Lee Jong-han earlier today

and suggested that the prosecution and the police

work together to discuss the issue.

Meanwhile, Chief Prosecutor Kang Won-chul

of the Seoul Eastern District Office

denied the allegations.

Removal of the restriction line did not cause the accident.

The accident simply took place after that.

If the bereaved decides to make a motion to revoke

our decision not to prosecute the case,

we will do our best to help them resolve their concern.