Prosecutors Suspend Indictment of Former Ministers Son Suk and Lee Hee-beom for Receiving Expensive Japanese Golf Clubs

The prosecution decided not to indict former Environment Minister Son Suk and former Minister of Industry and Resources Lee Hee-beom (currently Chairman of Booyoung) on charges of receiving expensive golf clubs from a Japanese brand golf club sales company.

Prosecutors have requested an arrest warrant for the fifth cousin of Justice Minister Cho Kuk, a key figure in the 'private equity fund suspicion,' and there are expectations that Professor Jung Kyung-shim, Cho's wife, will soon be summoned. The photo was taken on the 16th at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

According to the legal community on the 3rd, the Criminal Division 3 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Kim Soo-min) decided not to indict Son, who was referred on charges of violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act on the 30th of last month. Former Minister Lee, who served as the chairman of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics Organizing Committee, was also given a non-indictment disposition.

A non-indictment disposition means that although the charges are acknowledged, the prosecutor decides not to bring the suspect to trial considering various circumstances.

Earlier, the Anti-Corruption and Public Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency referred eight people, including former Minister Son, former Minister Lee, and journalists, to the prosecution without detention on charges of violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act.

It was investigated that from 2018 to 2021, they received golf clubs worth over 1 million won from Orient Golf, the Korean distributor of the Japanese golf brand Yamaha. Former Minister Son, a theater actor, served as the chairman of the Seoul Arts Center during this period, and former Minister Lee served as the chairman of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics Organizing Committee.

The prosecution brought the officials and the corporation of golf club sales company A, who handed over the golf clubs to Son and others, to trial without detention.

The Improper Solicitation and Graft Act stipulates that public officials and others cannot receive gifts exceeding 1 million won at one time or exceeding 3 million won per fiscal year, regardless of job relevance or compensation. Violating this can result in imprisonment for up to three years or a fine of up to 30 million won.