AI Yoon Seok-yeol: "Receiving Dried Persimmons and Covering Up? It's Ridiculous"

AI Yoon Seok-yeol "Loyal Only to the Nation and the People"

AI (Artificial Intelligence) Yoon Seok-yeol, modeled after Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, denied the allegations that during Yoon's tenure as a prosecutor, he received holiday gifts from the construction company Sambu Construction and conducted a 'lenient investigation.'

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, faced allegations that during his tenure as a prosecutor, he received holiday gifts such as dried persimmons from the construction company Sambu Tokon and conducted a 'lenient investigation.' In response, AI Yoon Seok-yeol stated, "I am not loyal to dried persimmons."

On the 26th, AI Yoon Seok-yeol said in a video posted on Yoon's campaign and policy information website, 'Yoon Seok-yeol Pledge Wiki,' "Does it make sense to receive dried persimmons and then cover up? It's absurd."

He added, "Wiki Yoon (the nickname for AI Yoon Seok-yeol) is not loyal to dried persimmons or melons. I am loyal only to the country and the people."

Earlier, on the 25th, Hankyoreh and YTN reported that during Yoon's time as a prosecutor from 2002 to 2015, there was evidence that he received holiday gifts 17 times from Sambu Tokon. The gift list included dried persimmons, melons, seaweed, and meat.

The Democratic Party's election committee raised suspicions that Yoon received gifts from Sambu Tokon and conducted lenient investigations, calling it "a very serious matter that could constitute dereliction of duty and post-fact bribery," and demanded, "He must immediately resign from the candidacy."

In response, the People Power Party's election headquarters stated on the 26th, "Candidate Yoon has never received entertainment from the chairman of Sambu Tokon," adding, "There were a few occasions of ordinary meals or golf with several acquaintances, but as usual, costs were paid individually or alternately." Regarding holiday gifts, they explained, "It was a long time ago, so we do not remember well, but it was at a customary level, and there was no receipt of expensive gifts."

They emphasized, "Including the Sambu Tokon case, there was no involvement or leniency in any other person's case."

Candidate Yoon himself, after attending the National Assembly members and party branch chiefs' victory resolution meeting held at the Korea Federation of SMEs in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, on the same day, denied, saying, "I am suspicious of the gift ledger reported by YTN," and "I have not met or interacted with Cho Nam-wook, the former chairman of Sambu Tokon, for over 10 years."