'Rime Redemption Suspicion' Kim Sang-hee Sues Financial Supervisory Service Chief Lee Bok-hyun for 300 Million Won

Kim Sang-hee, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea who is suspected of receiving preferential redemptions from Lime Asset Management (hereinafter Lime) just before the declaration of a large-scale redemption suspension, has filed a lawsuit against Lee Bok-hyun, Governor of the Financial Supervisory Service, demanding 300 million won in damages.

According to the legal community on the 8th, the Seoul Southern District Court assigned the damages claim lawsuit filed by Representative Kim the previous day to Judge Lee Young-pung of Civil Division 21.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 24th of last month, the Financial Supervisory Service announced the results of inspections on three major funds (Lime, Optimus, Discovery), revealing that Lime was found to have redeemed some influential figures just before declaring a large-scale redemption suspension in October 2019. Among the individuals who received redemptions through other fund money and asset management company funds, a "multi-term member of the National Assembly (200 million won)" was explicitly mentioned in the press release, and that member was identified as Representative Kim.

In response, Representative Kim is reported to have filed the lawsuit to claim damages caused by the spread of false information.

Separately from the civil lawsuit, Representative Kim also reported that she filed a complaint against Governor Lee with the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) on charges including falsification of official documents, disclosure of official secrets, violation of the Personal Information Protection Act, defamation, and abuse of authority.

In a statement, Representative Kim said, "I will submit all materials, including the conversation with Governor Lee, as evidence to the court," and added, "I am confident that the CIO and the court will reveal the truth."