[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The prosecution, investigating the 'Wirye and Daejang-dong development corruption' case, is summoning and questioning related parties, including Kim Man-bae, the major shareholder of Hwacheon Daeyu Asset Management, ahead of the second summons of Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea.
According to the legal community on the 31st, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 1 (Chief Prosecutor Eom Hee-jun) and Division 3 (Chief Prosecutor Kang Baek-shin) summoned Kim and accountant Jeong Young-hak this morning to cross-check the facts of the statement Lee submitted during his first summons on the 28th.
When Kim appeared before the prosecution this morning, he did not answer questions such as "How did you see Lee saying he doesn't even know about the existence of Cheonhwa-dongin No. 1?" and "Is Cheonhwa-dongin No. 1 Lee's?" The prosecution believes that among the 42.8 billion KRW dividends of Cheonhwa-dongin No. 1, an affiliate of Hwacheon Daeyu, the private developer of Daejang-dong, there is a portion promised to be delivered to Lee's side.
In a recording submitted to the prosecution by Jeong Young-hak, Kim is quoted as saying, "Half of Cheonhwa-dongin No. 1 belongs to 'that person'," but Kim denies the suspicion, claiming Cheonhwa-dongin No. 1 is his own property. Lee, in his statement, called the allegation that Cheonhwa-dongin No. 1 belongs to him "an utterly groundless slanderous claim" and asserted that before media reports, he was unaware of the very existence of Cheonhwa-dongin No. 1. He also rebutted Kim's claim that the dividends of Cheonhwa-dongin No. 1 were all spent, saying, "If it were mine, could I have spent it so recklessly?"
Meanwhile, the prosecution is coordinating the schedule for the second investigation with Lee's legal team. The prosecution requested one day either today or on the 1st of next month. However, Lee's side stated that he cannot appear on weekdays due to party affairs and other reasons. Since the Democratic Party is holding the 'Yoon Seok-yeol Regime Livelihood Collapse and Prosecutorial Dictatorship Condemnation Rally' on Saturday, the 4th of next month, along with a memorial event for the Itaewon tragedy, the second summons may be postponed to the following week.
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