Statement on the Final Confirmation of Former President Lee Myung-bak's Prison Sentence
Former BBK Investment Advisory CEO Kim Kyung-joon. / Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] Kim Kyung-joon, former CEO of BBK Investment Advisory who raised suspicions about former President Lee Myung-bak's BBK case, expressed the view that "for a true change in the prosecution, the court of history must be opened."
In a statement released on the 31st by the civic group Internal Whistleblowing Practice Movement, Kim said, "The prosecutors at the time, including former Busan District Prosecutor Kim Ki-dong and Special Prosecutor Jeong Ho-yong, who gave Lee Myung-bak a clean bill of health and blinded the public, must be brought to the judgment of history."
He stated, "More than ten years ago, I returned to Korea to expose the relationship between BBK and former President Lee, but my testimony was ignored by the prosecution at the time, and I was falsely accused of a so-called 'BBK fake letter' incident that manipulated my intention to enter the country, as well as being framed as a planned entry under the orders of the Roh Moo-hyun administration. I was branded a liar and took all the blame alone," adding, "As a prisoner, I served nearly ten years without even basic rights being guaranteed."
Regarding the BBK case, Kim was sentenced to eight years in prison and fined 10 billion won in 2009, was released in March 2017 after serving his full term, but was forcibly deported to the United States, his country of nationality, on the day of his release under a deportation order.
In response, Kim criticized, "Up to the present moment when the Supreme Court has confirmed the verdict on former President Lee for bribery and various corruption cases, there has been no sincere reflection from the prosecution who said 'we were wrong then, but right now,' nor any truth-finding regarding the distorted forms of political prosecutors."
About the BBK investigation, Kim said, "When I was investigated by the prosecution regarding stock price manipulation charges, I repeatedly asserted and submitted evidence that former President Lee was the actual owner of BBK and DAS, but it was completely ignored. Even with just the land in Dogok-dong used for DAS's capital increase, my experiences related to the BBK case, and the materials I submitted, the prosecution could have sufficiently known who owned DAS and who the key instigator of BBK was, yet they turned a blind eye," he claimed.
Kim added, "If there is no historical condemnation of the political prosecutors who planned all violations of my basic rights for the sake of power, my hardships will be in vain, and the independence of prosecutorial power and the protection of citizens' human rights will remain distant."
Finally, Kim demanded, "For true reform of the prosecution in the Republic of Korea, please establish the court of history that will reveal the prosecution's human rights violations and power orientation, and create a witness stand where victims of political prosecutors like me can stand up for the country and uphold justice."
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