The witness examination of whistleblower A regarding allegations of misuse of the Gyeonggi Province corporate card by Kim Hye-kyung, spouse of Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, was held privately on the 2nd. A is the whistleblower who reported that Kim and Bae Mo, a former Grade 5 special position employee in the General Affairs Division of the Gyeonggi Provincial Government, misused the provincial government corporate card for personal purposes.
Kim Hye-kyung, spouse of Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is seen leaving after completing an investigation related to the 'corporate card misuse suspicion' at the Gyeonggi Nambu Police Agency in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province on August 23 last year. [Image source=Yonhap News]
On that day, the Criminal Division 12 of Suwon District Court (Presiding Judge Hwang In-seong) conducted a closed-door witness examination of A, who reported Bae’s misconduct. Bae was indicted without detention on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act (prohibition of donation acts and false statement publication). It was reported that A, a prosecution witness, strongly requested the court to hold the witness examination privately.
The court explained the reason for the closed session, stating, "If there is a reasonable cause that the whistleblower of an election crime under the Public Official Election Act may suffer harm or have their identity revealed, protective measures can be taken according to the Act on the Protection of Reporters of Specific Crimes."
Bae was prosecuted for making false statements denying that he handled private matters for the candidate’s family when allegations of 'corporate card misuse' and 'illegal protocol' involving Kim, spouse of Lee Jae-myung, then the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, arose in January last year.
On August 2, 2021, at a restaurant in Seoul, Bae is also accused of committing a donation act under the Public Official Election Act by having the meal expenses of three party-related personnel, excluding Kim, amounting to 78,000 won, paid with the Gyeonggi Provincial Government corporate card during a meal with Kim.
Bae is also charged with breach of trust for using the Gyeonggi Province corporate card to pay for Kim’s personal meals or obtaining prescriptions under other people’s names and delivering the dispensed medicine to Kim from July 2018 to September 2021. This part is currently under investigation by the prosecution.
Considering the statute of limitations for election law offenses (September 9), the prosecution concluded the charges related to the Public Official Election Act last year and indicted Bae.
Bae admits to using the corporate card for personal purposes regarding the donation act charge under the Public Official Election Act but claims he had no awareness that the card payments were made with the presidential election in mind.
The defense’s cross-examination of A is scheduled to be held privately on the 3rd.
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