Prosecution to Proceed as Planned with 'Minjudang Money Envelope Scandal'

Decision Not to Convene the Committee on Prosecution Review and the Investigation Deliberation Committee
Former Representative Song Demands Convening, Calling Separate Investigation Unfair
Investigation into Former Representative Song and Money Envelope Case Expected to Accelerate

The investigation into former Democratic Party leader Song Young-gil's bribery allegations, known as the so-called 'Democratic Party Money Envelope Incident,' will proceed as scheduled. This is because the Prosecutorial Investigation Deliberation Committee (Investigation Deliberation Committee) convened at Song's request was not formed.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 20th, the Sub-Deliberation Committee, composed of citizen prosecutors, resolved not to refer this case to the Investigation Deliberation Committee. The Citizen Committee consists of 15 ordinary citizens, including office workers, professors, and social workers. After reviewing written opinions submitted by the prosecution and Song's side for about 1 hour and 40 minutes starting at 2 p.m. that day, they reached this conclusion. The Investigation Deliberation Committee is a system that reviews whether to continue investigations or decide on prosecution or non-prosecution in cases that raise public suspicion or are socially controversial, and makes recommendations to the prosecution.

Former leader Song is under investigation by the prosecution for the 'Democratic Party Money Envelope Incident,' in which he allegedly distributed money envelopes during the 2021 Democratic Party convention. Regarding this, Song's side has argued that investigating illegal political funds and bribery allegations through the Peace and Livelihood Research Institute (Meoksayeon) constitutes a separate investigation. This was the reason for requesting the convening of the Investigation Deliberation Committee. If the committee had been convened and decided to suspend the investigation and not prosecute, the prosecution's investigation could have been blocked. However, since the citizen members did not accept Song's request to convene the Investigation Deliberation Committee, the prosecution's investigation into Song is expected to accelerate.