'Ulsan Election Interference' Trial... Prosecutors: "Police Reported Kim Gi-hyeon Investigation Details to Blue House 18 Times"

Song Cheol-ho, Mayor of Ulsan / Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] The prosecution claimed in the trial over the 'Cheongwadae Ulsan Mayor Election Interference and Directed Investigation' allegations that investigation secrets related to corruption involving former Ulsan Mayor Kim Gi-hyeon’s close associates were reported in detail to Cheongwadae through the police 18 times.

On the 12th, the prosecution made this statement during the continuation trial of six individuals, including Ulsan Mayor Song Cheol-ho, former Vice Mayor Song Byung-gi, Democratic Party lawmaker Hwang Un-ha, and former Cheongwadae Civil Affairs Secretary Baek Won-woo, held at the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 21-3 (Presiding Judges Jang Yong-beom, Ma Seong-young, Kim Sang-yeon).

This case involves allegations that ahead of the 2018 local elections, Cheongwadae officials committed various illegal and illicit acts, including ordering the police to conduct directed investigations to help Mayor Song’s election and to defeat his competitor, then-Mayor Kim Gi-hyeon. The prosecution also views that election pledges of Mayor Song were formulated by illegally utilizing internal information from central or local governments. Mayor Song is known as a longtime close friend of President Moon Jae-in for 30 years.

On this day, the prosecution presented evidence such as correspondence exchanged between the National Police Agency, Ulsan Police Agency, and Cheongwadae, as well as former Vice Mayor Song’s work notebooks, emphasizing that "information classified as investigation secrets was reported in detail to Cheongwadae." They explained that this included investigation secrets such as the attendance and scheduled times of the subjects under investigation, summaries of statements, and contents of seized items.

They also stated, "The National Police Agency sent 21 reports to Cheongwadae, and 18 reports were made before the June 2018 local elections." Meanwhile, they pointed out that at the time of the incident, lawmaker Hwang, who was the head of the Ulsan Police Agency, pressured police investigators by directing and guiding the investigation into corruption involving former Mayor Kim’s close associates.

On the other hand, lawmaker Hwang met with reporters at the Seoul Central District Court and refuted, saying, "There was no communication between Cheongwadae and the Ulsan Police Agency," and "I only learned after the prosecution’s investigation that the source of the intelligence was Cheongwadae." He mentioned, "The prosecution is accusing us of conducting investigations to influence the election. Then, for example, wouldn’t investigations related to Yoon Seok-yeol’s wife and mother-in-law also influence the election?"

He added, "The prosecution’s one-sided interpretation of evidence, leaps in logic, and distortion of facts were mixed in the content," and said, "I will rebut these in future proceedings."

The next trial is scheduled to be held at 2 p.m. on the 19th.