Prosecutors Summon Former Daejeon District Councilor for 'Democratic Party Convention Money Envelope' Investigation

Prosecutors investigating allegations of money envelope distribution at the Democratic Party of Korea's 2021 party convention are expanding their probe by summoning a former district council member involved in the cash distribution on the 16th.

Prosecutor's Office [Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the legal community on the day, the Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Kim Young-cheol) is summoning and investigating Kang Hwa-pyeong (38), a former district council member of Dong-gu, Daejeon, as a suspect.

This comes four days after conducting a search and seizure on nine individuals, including Democratic Party lawmakers Yoon Kwan-seok and Lee Seong-man, Kang Rae-gu, president of the Korea Audit Association, and Lee Jeong-geun, former deputy secretary-general of the Democratic Party (indicted in custody), on the 12th.

Kang assisted with election campaigning alongside lawmaker Yoon, Mr. Lee, and President Kang at Song Young-gil's 2021 party leader primary campaign. Prosecutors believe that illegal funds amounting to 94 million KRW were distributed within the party to secure former leader Song's election. Kang is suspected of being involved in the process of delivering 19 million KRW of this amount to regional headquarters chiefs and regional situation room chiefs.

According to the criminal facts stated in the search warrant, in March 2021, Kang and Mr. Lee divided 10 million KRW in cash, prepared by former Incheon City Deputy Mayor Cho Taek-sang, into 20 envelopes of 500,000 KRW each and handed them to President Kang. Subsequently, President Kang reportedly distributed a total of 9 million KRW to about 10 regional headquarters chiefs.

At the end of April that year, Kang was also involved in delivering 10 million KRW in cash, prepared by President Kang to encourage election campaigning by regional situation room chiefs, to Mr. Lee. Mr. Lee is suspected of dividing this money into 20 envelopes of 500,000 KRW each and distributing them to 20 regional situation room chiefs.