Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo Orders Investigation into the Circumstances of 'Lee Jae-myung Seongnam FC Allegation Cover-up'

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The Supreme Prosecutors' Office announced on the 26th that Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo has instructed Suwon District Prosecutor Shin Sung-sik to investigate the circumstances regarding allegations that Park Eun-jung, head of the Seongnam branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, covered up the investigation into suspicions related to Seongnam FC professional football club involving Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate.

According to the legal community on the same day, attention is focused on the background of Deputy Chief Prosecutor Park Ha-young of the Seongnam branch, who suddenly resigned while leading the investigation into allegations that companies gave bribes under the name of sponsorship to Seongnam FC during Lee Jae-myung’s tenure as mayor of Seongnam.

Deputy Chief Prosecutor Park posted on the prosecutors' internal network 'Eprose' stating, "I tried to find other ways to continue working, but after thinking and responding in various ways, there was no other option." He also attached a file of himself singing Deulgukhwa’s song 'If I Live' to the post.

Deputy Chief Prosecutor Park led the investigation into the sponsorship fund allegations related to Seongnam FC. The case involves claims that during Lee’s time as mayor of Seongnam, six companies gave over 16 billion won to Seongnam FC as sponsorship funds in exchange for permits and approvals in Jeongja-dong, Seongnam. The police investigated the case for three years and three months and decided not to indict due to insufficient evidence in September last year, but the accuser objected and the case was sent to the prosecution.

Deputy Chief Prosecutor Park expressed the need for supplementary police investigation at that time, but it is reported that higher-ups, including Park Eun-jung, head of the Seongnam branch, discouraged this and pushed for the case to be closed, causing conflict and controversy. Park Eun-jung is known as a 'pro-government figure' who led the inspection when Yoon Seok-youl, the People Power Party presidential candidate, was disciplined by the Ministry of Justice during his tenure as Prosecutor General.

The Seongnam branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office released a statement the day before denying these conflict rumors. The branch emphasized, "Regarding the Seongnam FC case, the Seongnam branch is reviewing the investigation records of the branch and the police in accordance with law and principles," and stated, "It is not true that there was an order to close the investigation or that requests for supplementary investigation were blocked."