Three Current Prosecutors and Journalists Also Indicted for 'Improper Solicitation Act Violation'
Park: "Majority of Legal Experts Say Special Prosecutor Is Not Subject to Improper Solicitation Act"
[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Kyung-jun] Former special prosecutor Park Young-soo, who investigated the Park Geun-hye administration’s ‘state affairs manipulation case,’ has been indicted on charges of receiving support such as a Porsche rental car from a ‘fake seafood businessman’ (violation of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act).
The Criminal Division 3 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office (Chief Prosecutor Kim Soo-min) indicted former special prosecutor Park without detention on the 14th for violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act. A current prosecutor and journalists involved in the case were also brought to trial. Former lawmaker Kim Moo-sung and another journalist were not prosecuted due to insufficient evidence to prove the charges.
Former special prosecutor Park is accused of receiving a Porsche rental car worth 2.5 million KRW free of charge and seafood worth 860,000 KRW three times from Kim (44, currently serving a sentence), who impersonated a seafood businessman, totaling approximately 3.36 million KRW. Under the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act, the offense is established if a person receives or demands money or valuables exceeding 1 million KRW per occasion or 3 million KRW in total per fiscal year from the same individual.
In July last year, former special prosecutor Park submitted a ‘fact confirmation letter’ from Kim to the prosecution, claiming that the vehicle usage fee was delivered to Kim through a third party, but the investigation revealed that this confirmation letter was false.
However, former special prosecutor Park argued that Kim’s legal representative submitted the fact confirmation letter and that he was not involved in it.
The prosecution also indicted without detention current deputy chief prosecutor A, former daily newspaper editorial writer B, and former broadcasting anchor C. A is accused of receiving Porsche and Carnival rental cars free of charge from 2020 to 2021, seafood worth 2.2 million KRW, and dance and vocal academy tuition fees for children worth 5.79 million KRW, totaling approximately 8.49 million KRW.
B received golf clubs and seafood worth a total of 3.57 million KRW in 2020, and C was investigated to have received entertainment, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, K7 vehicles, and seafood worth approximately 9.42 million KRW from 2019 to 2020. The fake seafood businessman Kim was also re-indicted for providing valuables worth approximately 30.19 million KRW to these five individuals.
Kim was indicted for deceiving seven people by claiming that investing in ‘Seondong squid’ (squid caught and immediately frozen on the boat) would yield three to four times the profit within a few months, and was sentenced to seven years in prison in July this year.
After the prosecution’s indictment, former special prosecutor Park issued a statement saying, “During the harsh period of one year and four months, I clarified the errors in the charges and legal interpretations,” adding, “Both legally and factually, my defense team’s judgment and claims were that there were no charges, and especially many legal experts, including law professors, agreed that in this case, the special prosecutor is a public official performing official duties and is not subject to the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act.”
He continued, “I regret that the prosecution’s indictment decision is a disposition that deviates from legal principles and facts,” and added, “I will faithfully clarify the facts during the trial process.”
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