Yoon Mi-hyang, Expelled Over Husband's Name Trust Suspicion, Receives 'Non-Prosecution Decision' Notice
Ruling Party Changes Stance on Yoon Mi-hyang's Possible Reinstatement Within a Day
Assemblywoman Yoon Mi-hyang entering the building to attend the third trial session. [Photo by Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] Independent lawmaker Yoon Mi-hyang has been cleared of her husband's real estate name-trust allegations following the police decision not to prosecute. Accordingly, the Democratic Party initially announced it would proceed with Yoon's reinstatement but later reversed its statement, saying, "We need to see the results of other trials as well."
On the 5th, Yoon posted on her Facebook, "On November 4th, a registered mail arrived at my home from the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency. It was a notification of the decision not to prosecute regarding my husband's real estate name-trust allegations."
Yoon continued, "As a result of the investigation by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission into real estate speculation by Democratic Party lawmakers, which began with the LH scandal, it was reported to the Democratic Party that my mother-in-law had allegedly entrusted the name of a villa in the town of Hamyang, where she lives alone, to my husband. This led to my expulsion from the Democratic Party," adding, "I was so sorry for the pain caused because of me that I could not hold my head up."
Yoon explained, "However, I have endured all the insults, thinking that this was something I had to bear as I continued my life on the streets for the past 30 years to this National Assembly," and "My husband and sister-in-law sincerely cooperated with the police investigation, and after humbly awaiting the results, we received this decision not to prosecute."
A decision not to prosecute means that the police concluded there was no evidence of criminal charges and will not forward the case to the prosecution, thus closing the matter.
Regarding this, Go Yong-jin, senior spokesperson for the Democratic Party, said at a briefing after the election committee meeting held at the National Assembly that day, "If that happens, she should be reinstated," referring to the possibility of Yoon's return following the non-prosecution decision. Go added, "The Anti-Corruption Commission recommended resignation due to the real estate issues raised, and proportional representation lawmakers were expelled. It was already declared that if cleared of charges, reinstatement would be allowed," and said, "It will be handled accordingly."
However, the Democratic Party's Public Relations Office later stated in a notice sent to reporters, "The issue of Yoon Mi-hyang's reinstatement will be judged comprehensively based on the trial results of other indictments."
Meanwhile, Yoon was indicted last September on eight charges, including fraud, violation of the Act on the Management of Subsidies, the Local Finance Act, the Act on the Solicitation and Use of Donations, and embezzlement in the course of duty, over allegations that she arbitrarily used funds meant to support victims of the 'Japanese military comfort women' during her tenure as chairperson of the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan (Jeongdaehyeop, the predecessor of the Justice and Memory Foundation).
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