Assemblyman No Woong-rae "Prosecutor's Search and Seizure Illegal"... Filed a Quasi-Appeal to the Court

No Woong-rae, Member of the Democratic Party of Korea./Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin, legal affairs specialist] Roh Woong-rae, a 65-year-old member of the Democratic Party of Korea, who is under investigation for bribery and violation of the Political Funds Act, has filed an objection with the court, arguing that the prosecution's search and seizure was illegal and should be canceled.

According to the legal community on the 28th, Roh applied for a quasi-appeal to the Seoul Central District Court against the prosecution's search and seizure conducted at his residence and his office in the National Assembly Members' Office Building. A quasi-appeal is a system that allows a person subjected to measures such as search and seizure by investigative agencies to file an objection with the court.

Roh's side claims that during the first search and seizure on the 16th, the prosecution searched for keywords unrelated to the alleged facts, such as 'k-New Deal' and 'carbon neutrality,' on the National Assembly PC and seized materials.

They also raised issues with the fact that when bundles of cash not subject to seizure were found at his residence, the prosecution sealed them and then obtained an additional warrant to seize them.

Earlier, the Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Kim Young-chul) conducted search and seizure of Roh's office and residence and subsequently imposed a travel ban on him.

Roh is suspected of receiving a total of 60 million won from businessman Park (62) from February to November 2020 under the pretext of election expenses for the 21st National Assembly election (charges of bribery and violation of the Political Funds Act).

Park is known as the person who previously provided 940 million won in illegal political funds and brokerage fees to Lee Jung-geun, former Deputy Secretary-General of the Democratic Party, who was previously indicted and detained.

The prosecution believes that Park requested favors related to the expedited verification process of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport for a logistics complex development project, support for a solar power project, and personnel appointments of the local tax office chief and executives of Korea East-West Power Co., Ltd., while delivering money to Roh.

Among approximately 300 million won in cash secured during the recent search of Roh's residence, the prosecution is currently verifying the source, suspecting that some of the money came from Park.

The prosecution is also reported to have obtained text message exchanges between Roh and Park after Roh received the money through forensic analysis of Park's mobile phone.

The prosecution is accelerating the investigation, summoning former secretary A, who was in charge of accounting at Roh's office, as a witness for questioning the day before yesterday.