'Intervention in Ulsan Mayor Election' Lee Jin-seok and Song Byung-gi Case Transferred to Judge Kim Mi-ri's Panel

Song Byung-gi, former Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs of Ulsan City. / Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] The case involving Lee Jin-seok, Chief of the Blue House National Situation Room, former Ulsan Deputy Mayor Song Byeong-gi, and former public official Yoon, who are accused of interfering in the 2018 Ulsan mayoral election, has been assigned to the same trial panel led by Chief Judge Kim Miri that previously handled the election interference case.

According to the court on the 12th, the Seoul Central District Court assigned the cases of former Chief Lee, former Deputy Mayor Song, and Mr. Yoon to the Criminal Division 21-3 (Presiding Judges Jang Yong-beom, Kim Miri, Kim Sang-yeon). The presiding judge of this panel is Chief Judge Jang Yong-beom, with Chief Judge Kim serving as the lead judge.

Former Blue House Social Policy Secretary Lee is accused of intervening to delay the announcement of the preliminary feasibility study for the industrial accident mother hospital, a key campaign pledge of then-mayor Kim Ki-hyun (currently a People Power Party lawmaker), who was seeking re-election in the 2018 local elections, and has been brought to trial.

Additionally, Mr. Yoon is under investigation for sending and explaining internal Ulsan City Hall documents via email at the request of former Deputy Mayor Song in 2018, which were used to establish election pledges and conduct election campaigns for a specific candidate.

Meanwhile, the prosecution has dismissed charges or dropped the cases against other suspects, including former Presidential Secretary Im Jong-seok and Blue House Civil Affairs Secretary Lee Gwang-cheol, citing a lack of clear evidence to prove the allegations.