The prosecution investigating the 'illegal remittance to North Korea' allegations involving Ssangbangwool Group has once again notified Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, to appear on September 4.
On the day Lee's side expressed the intention to appear during a week without a plenary session in September, the prosecution publicly stated that this was 'unacceptable,' indicating that the tense standoff over Lee's summons schedule continues.
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who is suspected of receiving special favors in the Baekhyeon-dong development, is appearing at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 17th for investigation. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@
On the 28th, the Criminal Division 6 of Suwon District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Kim Young-nam) again notified Lee to appear as a suspect on September 4 for investigation regarding the North Korea remittance allegations.
A Suwon District Prosecutors' Office official said, "Considering the investigation and trial schedule related to the North Korea remittance bribery case, we requested Lee's side to appear on the 30th with a one-week notice on the 23rd, but despite the National Assembly being in recess, they refused to appear and unilaterally notified us that they would appear between September 11 and 15. Accordingly, today (28th), through Lee's lawyer, we again requested his appearance on September 4 by phone and in writing."
Earlier, Lee had responded to the prosecution's first summons on the 23rd by stating he would appear for investigation on the 24th or 26th of this month, but the prosecution rejected this.
Park Sung-jun, spokesperson for the Democratic Party, said at a National Assembly briefing, "Lee will appear before the prosecution during a week in September when there is no plenary session of the National Assembly."
The Ssangbangwool North Korea remittance allegations involve former Ssangbangwool Group Chairman Kim Sung-tae sending a total of 8 million USD to North Korea, including 5 million USD for a North Korean smart farm support project that Gyeonggi Province was supposed to fund at the request of former Gyeonggi Peace Deputy Governor Lee Hwa-young in 2019, and 3 million USD for the then-Governor Lee Jae-myung's visit to North Korea, which was requested by the North. The prosecution recently booked Lee on charges of third-party bribery, believing he was involved in Ssangbangwool's payment on behalf of others at the time.
Lee Hwa-young, who was arrested and indicted on charges of receiving bribes and political funds from former Chairman Kim, had denied the Ssangbangwool North Korea remittance allegations but partially reversed his testimony during a prosecution investigation in June, stating that he requested Ssangbangwool to promote the governor's visit to North Korea.
He also reportedly testified that he reported to Lee Jae-myung at the time, saying, "Ssangbangwool spent money in North Korea while doing business, so I think they also took care of (the governor's visit)."
After these facts became known, Lee Hwa-young's wife, Baek, submitted a handwritten petition to the Democratic Party stating that her husband was under pressure from the prosecution. On the 25th of last month, she appeared in court and shouted "Get a grip" while demanding the dismissal of her husband's lawyer, which had not been agreed upon, and threatened Lee by saying, "(If you withdraw the lawyer dismissal) you will receive no help from the family." However, Lee maintained his trust in the Haegwang law firm lawyer whom Baek intended to dismiss.
At the trial on the 8th, Kim Hyung-tae, a lawyer from Deoksu Law Firm who previously defended Lee in a public election law violation case, appeared as Lee Hwa-young's lawyer and shouted "You" at the prosecutor. When the judge tried to stop him, he angrily asked, "Why are you shouting?" Kim submitted a motion to disqualify the court, an evidence opinion denying Lee Hwa-young's prosecution testimony that he reported Ssangbangwool Group's North Korea remittance to Lee, and his resignation letter all at once, then abruptly left the courtroom. Lee Hwa-young stated to the court that he would continue to receive assistance from lawyers of Haegwang Law Firm who had been defending him, but Seo Min-seok, a lawyer from Haegwang, eventually resigned.
On the 22nd, former Chairman Kim appeared as a witness at Lee Hwa-young's trial and testified, "I sent money to North Korea after consulting with Lee Jae-myung, who was then a leading presidential candidate. Every time a decision was made to remit money to North Korea, I spoke with Lee through Lee Hwa-young," and claimed, "Lee was fully aware of the payments on behalf of others."
The next trial for Lee Hwa-young, which had been delayed due to the lawyer dismissal issue, will be held at 10 a.m. on the 29th at Suwon District Court.
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