Summoned for Investigation as a Suspect from 10 AM
Second Sitting Lawmaker After Heo Jong-sik
The prosecution summoned Assemblyman Lee Seong-man (Independent) on the 3rd amid an investigation into the Democratic Party of Korea's party convention money envelope allegations.
Independent lawmaker Lee Sung-man is appearing at the Seoul District Court on the 4th for the substantive hearing of the arrest warrant as a key suspect in the 'money envelope incident.' Photo by Heo Young-han younghan@
According to the legal community, the Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Choi Jae-hoon) summoned Assemblyman Lee as a suspect from 10 a.m. that day and is currently investigating him.
This is the second time a current lawmaker has been summoned for questioning, following Assemblyman Heo Jong-sik of the Democratic Party on the 27th of last month. The prosecution is accelerating investigations into recipients after securing the custody of former party leader Song Young-gil.
Assemblyman Lee is suspected of providing 1 million won to former Democratic Party Deputy Secretary-General Lee Jeong-geun in March 2021 under the pretext of operating expenses for the primary election campaign, and 10 million won in cash to former Korea Water Resources Corporation Standing Auditor Kang Rae-gu and others to be given to the regional headquarters chief. He is also accused of receiving an envelope containing 3 million won from Assemblyman Yoon Kwan-seok in April 2021.
The prosecution requested an arrest warrant for Assemblyman Lee, but it was dismissed once when the National Assembly rejected the consent for arrest in June last year. The warrant was re-requested in August of the same year but was dismissed after court review. Assemblyman Yoon was detained due to concerns over evidence tampering.
Assemblyman Lee denies all allegations, claiming he did not receive any money envelopes. He voluntarily left the Democratic Party in May last year after the money receipt allegations surfaced.
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