Democratic Party Legal Committee Files Complaint with Corruption Investigation Office Against All Suwon District Prosecutors for Negligence in 'Prejudged Investigation'

On the 12th, the Democratic Party's Legal Committee filed a complaint against all prosecutors at the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office responsible for the Ssangbangwool North Korea remittance case on charges of dereliction of duty, ahead of Lee Jae-myung's fifth appearance before the prosecution.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the same day, the Democratic Party's Legal Committee held a press conference in front of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Unit in Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, stating, "We are filing a complaint with the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials against the prosecutors of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office who handled the case involving Kim Seong-tae, former chairman of Ssangbangwool Group, for violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes (breach of trust) and other charges, on grounds of dereliction of duty."

The Legal Committee said, "The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, which consistently conducted 'stalling' investigations without evidence, has finally summoned Representative Lee Jae-myung once again today," adding, "The clear background that allows such fabricated investigations with predetermined conclusions is the unjust 'judicial deal' that overlooks and covers up obvious criminal charges." The Legal Committee also plans to file charges against former chairman Kim Seong-tae for violating the Act on Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation and for property concealment abroad.

In their statement, they said, "Former Chairman Kim drafted an economic cooperation agreement granting six business rights?including underground resource development cooperation, tourism and urban development, logistics distribution, natural energy creation, railway construction, and agriculture, forestry, and fisheries cooperation projects?with the North Korean MinKyung Federation for 50 years without approval from the Minister of Unification," calling this a violation of the Act on Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation.

They also stated, "It is well known through various media reports that Kim Seong-tae conspired with Ssangbangwool executives around 2019 to smuggle tens of billions of won worth of US dollars into China, effectively moving and hiding the property of South Korean citizens abroad," adding, "This constitutes a violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes (property concealment abroad)."

Furthermore, they emphasized, "Despite confirming Kim Seong-tae’s statements, receipts, the economic cooperation agreement for the six business rights, and even evidence of Kim using Ssangbangwool executives to smuggle tens of billions of won worth of US dollars overseas, the prosecutors at Suwon District Prosecutors' Office neither ordered nor conducted investigations into these matters," stressing, "This neglect or abandonment of investigative duties as prosecutors undermines the state's function to lead fair law enforcement, and to prevent recurrence, thorough investigations must be conducted and the accused must be severely punished."

The Legal Committee questioned, "Why is such clear criminal behavior not being investigated? Is it not to fabricate false testimony about 'Lee Jae-myung’s North Korea visit expenses being paid on his behalf' while showing Kim Seong-tae that other crimes could be additionally prosecuted at any time?" They continued, "Kim Seong-tae attempted to negotiate immunity from punishment for some of his crimes in exchange for testimony favorable to the investigating prosecutors, and the prosecution proceeded accordingly," warning, "If the false testimony of Kim Seong-tae was induced through dereliction of duty, all those involved in the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office investigation cannot escape appropriate responsibility."