Refused to Testify After Afternoon Attendance... "Will Not Respond to Future Investigations"
Former Democratic Party leader Song Young-gil, who was arrested on suspicion of distributing cash envelopes during the party convention, has continued to refuse the prosecution's summons. If Song continues to avoid the investigation, the prosecution is expected to take compulsory detention measures.
Song Young-gil, former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who is suspected of distributing money envelopes during the party's presidential election, is attending the warrant hearing held at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 18th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@
According to the legal community on the 26th, the Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Choi Jae-hoon) attempted to summon Song from 10 a.m. that day, but Song did not appear. However, through his lawyer, Song conveyed his intention to appear before the prosecution in the afternoon but stated that he would exercise his right to remain silent.
The prosecution has requested Song's summons for three consecutive days since the 20th, after his arrest, but Song has refused citing meetings with his lawyer and health reasons.
Song's wife, Nam Young-shin, also strongly opposed the situation at a press conference on the 22nd, claiming that her husband was politically "plannedly detained" ahead of the general election. Song is currently held at Seoul Detention Center and only meets with his lawyers.
Since Song's initial detention period expires on the 27th, an extension of the detention period seems inevitable. According to the Criminal Procedure Act, prosecutors must indict the suspect within 10 days of detention or release them, and may apply to the court for an extension of the detention period within the 10-day limit.
In a handwritten statement prepared and disclosed through his lawyer on the same day, Song said, "(This afternoon) I will appear before the prosecution, exercise my right to remain silent, and will no longer respond to any further summons from the prosecution until I am indicted." He criticized, "The cowardly prosecution, which has an abundance of evidence regarding Mrs. Kim Geon-hee's stock manipulation crime but has not even conducted a summons or written investigation, is conducting over 100 searches and separate investigations related to the party convention case from two years ago, which is a clearly unfair act."
He added, "I will testify in court," and "I will stand firm and fight against the politically motivated retaliatory investigation by the privatized prosecution under the Yoon Seok-yeol administration."
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