Ssangbangwool Former Chief Secretary "Lee Jae-myung Has Close Ties with Kim Sung-tae"

Former Chairman Kim Seong-tae of Ssangbangwool Group, who was caught in Thailand while on the run abroad, is returning to Korea through Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport on the 17th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Testimony from a former executive of Ssangbangwool revealed in court that former Ssangbangwool Chairman Kim Sung-tae and Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, had a close relationship.

A, a former chief secretary of Ssangbangwool, appeared as a witness on the 17th at the Suwon District Court Criminal Division 11 (Presiding Judge Shin Jin-woo) during the trial of former Gyeonggi Province Deputy Governor Lee Hwa-young on charges of bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes and violations of the Political Funds Act, and testified accordingly.

A served as the chief secretary to the chairman of the Ssangbangwool Group and was known as a close aide to former Chairman Kim Sung-tae. In 2020, he also served as CEO of a Ssangbangwool Group affiliate. He was responsible for drafting business proposals when Ssangbangwool was pursuing projects to support North Korea.

The prosecution presented A’s statement to the prosecution and asked, “Is it true that the witness answered ‘yes’ when asked if Chairman Kim Sung-tae, Vice Chairman Bang Yong-chul, Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung, and Gyeonggi Province Peace Deputy Governor Lee Hwa-young had a close relationship at that time?” A replied, “That is correct.”

Furthermore, when asked, “During the investigation, were you also asked if you thought these individuals were close while you were serving as chief secretary, and did you respond that ‘In the case of Governor Lee Jae-myung, there were many talks within the company that Chairman Kim Sung-tae was close to the governor’?” A confirmed, “That is correct.” A admitted all the contents of his statement in the prosecution’s investigation.

However, Lee and former Chairman Kim claim they do not know each other.

On the 13th, Lee stated on a YouTube live broadcast, “I have never even seen the face of a person named Kim Sung-tae.” Former Chairman Kim, who was captured in Thailand after eight months on the run and extradited on the same day, also denied knowing Lee.