Prosecutors: "Lee Jae-myung consistently refused to give specific statements throughout the investigation... responded by nitpicking words"

Lee "Prosecution Fails to Present a Single Piece of Evidence... Feels Pity for Political Prosecution"
Prosecution "Refused to Sign or Seal the Statement and Left Unilaterally... Remaining Investigation to be Conducted on the 12th"

Investigation of Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who appeared at the prosecution on the 9th as a suspect in bribery charges related to the ‘illegal remittance to North Korea’ allegations involving Ssangbangwool Group, was concluded after 8 hours due to health reasons. The prosecution stated that Lee showed an uncooperative attitude, causing disruptions to the investigation.

Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung is coming out after completing an investigation related to the 'Ssangbangwool Group's remittance to North Korea' suspicion at the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do on the afternoon of the 9th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

After the investigation was completed, the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office issued a statement saying, "Lee’s side had agreed in advance to a full-day investigation including late-night questioning after 9 p.m. on the day of the summons, and the prosecution conducted the investigation to the minimum extent necessary considering Lee’s health condition."

They added, "Throughout the investigation, Lee refused to provide specific statements, substituting them with written statements, gave repetitive and lengthy answers unrelated to the questions, and consistently responded by nitpicking, showing a lack of cooperation that caused disruptions to the investigation."

Furthermore, "Lee’s side requested during the investigation that questioning be limited to until 6 p.m. that day, promising to appear again on the 12th, which the prosecution accepted. However, despite previously agreeing to appear on the 12th, Lee reversed his position and refused to set a reappearance date. During the review of the investigation records, Lee insisted that parts of his statements were omitted but did not specify which parts, refused to sign the records, and left unilaterally," the statement said.

The prosecution criticized Lee’s side for claiming that the prosecution requested additional questioning despite agreeing to a re-investigation on the 12th. The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office expressed regret over the Democratic Party’s distortion of facts by blaming the prosecution for delaying the investigation and falsely accusing the prosecution of making an additional summons first. They stated, "The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office plans to conclude the remaining suspect investigation of Lee on the 12th."

Immediately after the investigation, Lee said, "The prosecution could not present a single piece of evidence," and added, "I feel pity for the political prosecution, and whether it is the fifth or sixth time, I will appear."

The investigation of Lee began at 10:30 a.m. but was suspended at 6:40 p.m. after Lee requested to stop further questioning due to health reasons.

The investigation was conducted with 20-minute breaks every two hours. After the morning session, there was a break of about 40 minutes before the questioning resumed around 1 p.m.

The investigation involved Deputy Chief Prosecutor Song Min-kyung (43, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 37) and Prosecutor Park Sang-yong (42, class 38) from the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office Criminal Division 6. Lawyer Park Gyun-taek (class 21), former Gwangju High Prosecutors' Office chief and head of the Judicial Research and Training Institute, participated as Lee’s defense counsel.

Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung is appearing at the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do on the morning of the 9th to be investigated as a suspect in connection with the 'Ssangbangwool Group's remittance to North Korea' allegations. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Lee arrived at the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office around 10:15 a.m. and, before going to the investigation room, told reporters, "The people are the nation, and those who deny popular sovereignty are anti-state forces," adding, "President Yoon Seok-youl must apologize to the people for acts that destroy democracy, livelihoods, and peace, and for state affairs that deny popular sovereignty."

He said, "The direction of state affairs must be completely changed, and the cabinet must resign en masse to reform the government," adding, "There is a saying that flowers do not last ten days. Power may seem strong and eternal, but it is only temporary. History and truth show that regimes that do not fear the people are inevitably judged. Even if political prosecution manipulates and distorts facts, the truth cannot be imprisoned forever."

After reading a prepared statement, Lee did not answer any questions from reporters such as "Did you receive a report regarding the remittance to North Korea?" and went up to the investigation room.

After the investigation began, the contents of the written statement submitted to the prosecution were disclosed through Lee’s social media.

In the statement, Lee said, "While serving as governor of Gyeonggi Province, I attempted humanitarian support and exchange projects with the North, but I have never provided or requested to provide any money or benefits to the North in violation of South Korean law or UN sanctions under any name."

He also emphasized, "Furthermore, I have never received any improper requests directly or indirectly from so-called Ssangbangwool Group affiliates, nor have I instructed, encouraged, or requested anyone, including the North, to provide money or benefits."

Lee stated, "The prosecution’s investigation related to Ssangbangwool has shifted from the ‘lawyer fee payment’ case of Lee Jae-myung to the ‘payment of North Korea visit expenses.’ I have never requested Ssangbangwool to pay money to the North, whether for smart farms or visits, and neither Gyeonggi Province nor I have any obligation or reason to provide $8 million or 10 billion won to the North."

Referring to the recent reversal of testimony by former Gyeonggi Province Peace Deputy Governor Lee Hwa-young, Lee said, "The testimonies of Kim Seong-tae and Lee Hwa-young, made under desperate circumstances, lack consistency and credibility," adding, "I do not know what Lee Hwa-young testified to the prosecution, but it is not true that I approved the payment of North Korea visit expenses, and if there is any testimony by Lee Hwa-young to that effect, it is false."

He added, "Lee Hwa-young’s false testimony can only be explained by undue pressure and inducement from the prosecution and Kim Seong-tae’s group."

The Ssangbangwool North Korea remittance allegations involve former Ssangbangwool Group Chairman Kim Seong-tae sending a total of $8 million to North Korea in 2019, including $5 million for a North Korean smart farm support project that Gyeonggi Province was supposed to fund at the request of former Deputy Governor Lee, and $3 million for the visit expenses of then-Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung, as demanded by the North. The prosecution recently booked Lee on charges of bribery by a third party, suspecting his involvement in Ssangbangwool’s payments.

Former Deputy Governor Lee, 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. However, after the lawyer trusted by former Chairman Kim was replaced under unclear circumstances and a Democratic Party lawyer who had previously worked in Lee’s campaign was appointed, he recently reversed his testimony again.