'Suspected Money Envelope Scandal in Democratic Party' Song Young-gil Appears at Prosecutors' Office: "Political Planned Investigation"

Song Young-gil, the former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea who was identified as the 'pinnacle' of the 2021 Democratic Party convention money envelope distribution scandal, appeared at the prosecution on the 8th.

From 9 a.m. that day, Song, in the capacity of a suspect, is being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 2 (Chief Prosecutor Choi Jae-hoon) of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office on charges including bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, violations of the Political Parties Act, and the Political Funds Act.

Former leader of the Democratic Party, Song Young-gil, identified as the ultimate beneficiary of the Democratic Party cash envelope scandal, is holding a press conference as he appears for his first summons investigation on the 8th at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

Song arrived at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office building around 8:25 a.m. that day. He claimed, "The prosecution has been conducting politically motivated investigations," and added, "Since they have failed to fabricate evidence against me properly, they are focusing all efforts on separate investigations by conducting searches and summonses on about 100 people around me."

Through the investigation of Song, the prosecution intends to more clearly confirm the charges against Democratic Party lawmakers suspected of receiving money envelopes and to lay the groundwork for compulsory investigations. Based on the results of the investigation that day, the prosecution is also expected to consider detention measures over the weekend.

In particular, the investigation team believes that Song was involved in the process where Yoon Kwan-seok, an independent lawmaker (63, indicted in custody), distributed 20 money envelopes containing 3 million won each to Democratic Party lawmakers over two days, April 28?29, 2021, at the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee small conference room in the National Assembly Main Building and the Members' Office Building ahead of the party convention.

Additionally, Song is suspected of receiving approximately 40 million won in bribes through an external support organization called the 'Peace and Livelihood Issues Research Institute' (Meoksayeon) from Park Yong-ha, former chairman of the Yeosu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (75), in exchange for resolving permit issues related to the expansion of a waste incineration plant.