"'Money Envelope' Allegation Against Song Young-gil, Application to the Prosecution Investigation Deliberation Committee: 'Illegal Separate Investigation'"

Song Young-gil, former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea and identified as the ultimate beneficiary of the 'cash envelope distribution incident' at the Democratic Party convention, announced on the 3rd that he will request the convening of the Prosecutorial Investigation Deliberation Committee (hereinafter referred to as the Investigation Deliberation Committee), claiming that the prosecution is conducting an illegal separate investigation.

Former Democratic Party leader Song Young-gil, who is under suspicion of money envelope scandal at the party convention. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

On the same day, Seon Jong-moon, lawyer for former leader Song, disclosed the opinion letter to be submitted to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, stating, "We request the convening of the Investigation Deliberation Committee regarding the continuation of the prosecution's illegal separate investigation."

In the opinion letter, Lawyer Seon argued, "While investigating the main case of the cash envelope incident, the prosecution has been conducting a dusting-style investigation, linking one after another separate charges such as violation of the Political Funds Act and violation of the Special Act (bribery), based on the donation details of the Institute for Livelihood Issues Research (Meoksa-yeon), which was obtained during the investigation, suspecting that Meoksa-yeon was involved in the illegal political fund raising by the suspect."

He added, "The separate charges correspond to 'separate cases' or 'unrelated cases' prohibited by the Criminal Procedure Act, making the investigation illegal," and "The donation details given by Park Yong-ha, former chairman of the Yeosu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, to Meoksa-yeon were discovered during the investigation of the cash envelope incident and were not obtained through proper investigative procedures."

The Investigation Deliberation Committee is an organization established within the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to review the investigation process and evaluate the legality of the results in cases where public suspicion arises or social attention is focused. It advises the investigation team on whether to continue the investigation, prosecute, or not prosecute. However, its recommendations are not binding.

Suspects and other parties involved in the case can request the convening of the Investigation Deliberation Committee through the Prosecutorial Citizen Committee of the relevant prosecutors' office handling the case. If the convening is decided after a sub-deliberation committee, experts from the legal community, academia, and civic groups participate as members to deliberate. Currently, the chairman of the Investigation Deliberation Committee is Kang Il-won, former justice of the Constitutional Court.