End of Chuseok Holiday... Prosecution to Summon 'Yoon's Close Aides' Kim Gun-hee and Yoon Woo-jin?

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] As investigative agencies show enthusiasm in probing allegations surrounding former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, attention is focused on whether the prosecution will summon Yoon’s close aides for questioning after the Chuseok holiday.

The prevailing view is that the summons of Yoon’s spouse, Kim Gun-hee, is imminent. According to the prosecution on the 22nd, Kim is under investigation by the Anti-Corruption and Strong Crime Division 2 (Chief Prosecutor Jo Ju-yeon) of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office regarding a case related to Deutsche Motors’ stocks.

Kim is suspected of having bought stocks at a low price and resold them at a higher price during the period from 2010 to 2011, when Kwon Oh-soo, chairman of Deutsche Motors, allegedly manipulated stock prices through market manipulation.

Additionally, Kim is suspected of receiving money and valuables under the pretext of sponsorship for an event organized by the exhibition planning company Covana Contents after Yoon was nominated as Prosecutor General. The prosecution is paying attention to the fact that the number of sponsors for the event increased from four to sixteen during this process.

On the 9th, the investigation team conducted a search and seizure of companies related to the Deutsche Motors stock case and secured materials. It is known that they devoted themselves to analyzing the materials even during the Chuseok holiday, and it seems highly likely that Kim will be summoned for questioning soon.

There are also talks that the summons of Yoon Dae-jin, director of planning at the Judicial Research and Training Institute and a close aide of former Prosecutor General Yoon, who is the elder brother of former Yongsan Tax Office chief Yoon Woo-jin, is imminent.

The Anti-Corruption and Strong Crime Division 1 (Chief Prosecutor Jung Yong-hwan) of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office is investigating allegations against former Chief Yoon. On the 13th, they conducted search and seizure at the residence of former Chief Yoon, businessman Choi, who is a close aide, and the homes and offices of businessman Kim, who was a business partner of Choi, securing materials. It is reported that the prosecution carried out the search and seizure to obtain documents related to a real estate development project in the Yeongjongdo area of Incheon from 2016 to 2018.

This case was triggered by a complaint filed last November by businessman A, who claimed that former Chief Yoon acted as a 'sponsor' providing entertainment to prosecutors and high-ranking public officials, prompting the prosecution to tighten its investigation.

In the complaint, A stated that former Chief Yoon was repeatedly taken to meetings with current and former prosecutors and senior officials from the National Tax Service and police between 2018 and 2019, where he paid for meals and golf expenses. It is also known that A testified that he delivered 430 million won in lobbying funds to former Chief Yoon related to the Incheon real estate development project from 2016 to 2018. A also raised suspicions that former Chief Yoon tried to bribe him with a check exceeding 100 million won.

Separately, the Criminal Division 13 (Chief Prosecutor Im Dae-hyuk) of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office is investigating allegations that former Chief Yoon received bribes such as golf outings from meat importers around 2013 and that the prosecution covered up the case.

Former Chief Yoon left the country while under police investigation for this charge in 2012 but was arrested overseas and forcibly repatriated. However, in 2015, the prosecution dismissed the charges.

There were also allegations that former Prosecutor General Yoon, who was head of the Major Crimes Division 1 at the time, introduced lawyer Lee Nam-seok, a former member of the Major Crimes Division, to former Chief Yoon.

During the 2019 parliamentary confirmation hearing for former Prosecutor General Yoon, then-Representative Joo Kwang-deok of the Liberty Korea Party filed a complaint against former Chief Yoon for bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes.

In response, then-Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae exercised her authority to direct investigations in October last year, excluding former Prosecutor General Yoon from the investigation command line regarding allegations against former Chief Yoon and ordered the investigation team to conduct a swift inquiry.

The prosecution has conducted investigations including search and seizure at the golf course where former Chief Yoon is suspected to have visited, the National Tax Service headquarters, the Central Regional National Tax Service, and the Yeongdeungpo Tax Office.