Police Decide Not to Prosecute Lee Jun-seok on Allegations of Sexual Bribery (Comprehensive)

Former People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok is expressing his position as he attends the hearing for the suspension of the People Power Party's party constitution at the Seoul Southern District Court in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul on the 14th. Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Group

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Gyumin] The police have decided not to prosecute regarding the sexual bribery allegations against former People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok.

On the 20th, the Anti-Corruption and Public Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced that they had decided on "no prosecution" for the allegation that former leader Lee received sexual bribery from Kim Seong-jin, CEO of iKist, in 2013, related to the reported case. They also ultimately judged "no charges" regarding various entertainments that continued until September 2015. However, the police added that they will continue investigating the suspicion of evidence tampering, alleging that former leader Lee instructed former party leader’s political secretary Kim Cheol-geun to persuade the iKist employee who reported the sexual bribery allegations.

According to the police, former leader Lee was suspected of receiving sexual bribery and other favors from businessman Kim in 2013. The allegation was raised last December by the YouTube channel "Garo Sero Research Institute" (Gaseyeon), and police investigations began after Lee was reported. The police conducted six witness interrogations at the detention center with Kim, who is currently imprisoned on a separate case. During this process, Kim claimed that Lee received sexual bribery, money, and entertainment until September 2015 and, in return, arranged meetings with former President Park Geun-hye. The police then summoned former leader Lee for questioning on the 17th and concluded the investigation on this day. Under current law, the statute of limitations for sexual bribery-related prostitution is five years, and for mediation bribery is seven years.