Yoon Seok-yeol: "Favoritism in Busan Savings Bank Investigation? It's the Same as Asking Why the Daejang-dong Investigation Wasn't Conducted When I Was Prosecutor General"

"Legal Affairs, Prosecution, and Ruling Party Suspect a Massive Conspiracy"

Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party and former Prosecutor General, is preparing for a debate at the '1-on-1 Match Debate' held on the evening of the 15th at the MBC building in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. 2021.10.15 Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, who investigated Busan Savings Bank that partially loaned funds for the Daejang-dong development in Seongnam City, rebutted ruling party's accusations of a 'lenient investigation' by saying, "Isn't it the same as asking why I didn't investigate the Daejang-dong case or him (Lee Jae-myung) when I was Prosecutor General? It's truly a comedic story."

On the 17th, after a press conference at the National Assembly communication office, Yoon told reporters, "It's like criticizing the Central Investigation Department for investigating Samsung's slush fund case but failing to find Samsung's lobbying," expressing this view.

He explained, "As the legal team of the People's Campaign also clarified, the Busan Savings Bank case was not a strict loan using customers' deposits, but rather they created an SPC and directly conducted the project," adding, "That is an act of breach of trust." He continued, "Public funds worth trillions were involved," and said, "14 executives of Busan Savings Bank were indicted for public fund corruption, 10 were detained, and we requested severe sentences ranging from life imprisonment to 22 years and 6 months before the Criminal Act was amended. The Supreme Court handed down heavy sentences of 12 to 13 years. We also did all we could to recover assets." Furthermore, he added, "The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office had already closed the case in 2011, and the claim that it was handled three years later is a case of bribery solicitation," clarifying, "It involved public officials receiving bribes or money, so it is unrelated to the Central Investigation Department case."

Regarding the ruling party's continuous allegations of 'lenient investigation,' Yoon said, "Seeing them handle an old case that I barely remember like this, it seems that the Ministry of Justice, prosecution, and the ruling party are sharing materials to find faults and that there is some huge conspiracy."