Prosecutors Conduct Closed-Door Summons of Lawmaker Im Jong-seong Over Alleged Money Envelope Bribery

Third Investigation of Active Lawmaker Suspected of Receiving Cash Envelopes

The prosecution investigating the Democratic Party of Korea's 'party convention money envelope suspicion' secretly summoned Democratic Party lawmaker Im Jong-seong, who is suspected of receiving money, on the 10th. This is the third time a current lawmaker suspected of receiving money has been summoned for investigation since former party leader Song Young-gil, the central figure in the money envelope suspicion case, was detained. Previously, Democratic Party lawmaker Heo Jong-sik and independent lawmaker Lee Seong-man were summoned and investigated.

Seoul Seocho-gu Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. / Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

The Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Choi Jae-hoon) has been summoning and investigating Im as a suspect under the Political Parties Act since the morning of the same day.

The prosecution believes that independent lawmaker Yoon Kwan-seok (detained and indicted) distributed 20 money envelopes containing 3 million won each to Democratic Party lawmakers at the National Assembly Main Building's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee small conference room and the Members' Office Building over two days, April 28-29, 2021, to support former leader Song's election, and that Im is among the lawmakers who received them.

Im appears in the key evidence of this case, the 'Lee Jeong-geun recording.' In the recording dated April 28, 2021, lawmaker Yoon tells former Democratic Party Deputy Secretary-General Lee Jeong-geun, "I was going to give to two in Incheon and not to Jong-seong, but he said, 'Brother, please give us some too,' so I lost three."

Regarding this, Mr. Lee testified as a witness in last year's trial on the money envelope suspicion case and answered "Yes" when asked by the prosecutor, "Does 'two in Incheon' refer to lawmakers Lee Seong-man and Heo Jong-sik, and does 'Jong-seong' refer to lawmaker Im Jong-seong?"

However, Im completely denies the allegations, claiming he never received any money envelopes. It is reported that Im requested the investigation to be conducted privately on that day.