"Phone Call with Democratic Party Specialist Kim Mo"
"A Request to 'Please Review Carefully' via Complaint Call"
It has been reported that court testimony supporting the allegations against Song Young-gil, the representative of the Sonamudang party, has emerged. Song was indicted on charges of accepting requests from businesspeople and assisting in resolving civil complaints. On the 15th, at the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 21 (Presiding Judge Heo Kyung-moo), A, who worked as the head of the Industrial Location Policy Division at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in 2021, appeared as a witness at the trial concerning Song’s charges of violating the Political Party Act and the Political Funds Act.
During the trial, A testified, "Between July and September 2021, regarding the development plan changes for the expansion of the waste incineration facility within the Yeosu National Industrial Complex, I had about ten phone calls with Kim, who was then the senior expert committee member for land and transportation of the Democratic Party," adding, "Kim made calls concerning civil complaints, inquiring about the progress and saying something to the effect of 'please review it carefully.'"
Former Democratic Party of Korea leader Song Young-gil, who completed the warrant hearing last December [Image source=Yonhap News]
The prosecution believes that Song helped resolve civil complaints for Park Yong-ha, the former chairman of the Yeosu Chamber of Commerce, through Kim, a former official of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and received 40 million won in return.
The waste disposal company operated by former Chairman Park had been pursuing an incinerator expansion project within the Yeosu National Industrial Complex but had its project plan returned by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Jeollanam-do in August 2021.
Subsequently, former Chairman Park requested assistance from Song, who was then the leader of the Democratic Party, and Kim, introduced by Song, met with former Chairman Park and asked the Ministry officials to "review it carefully," according to the prosecution’s assessment. Regarding this, A explained, "Kim was once my superior when he worked at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport," and added, "I thought he contacted me to manage civil complaints arising in his hometown."
When the court asked, "Is it unusual for a senior expert committee member in the ruling party’s transportation sector to request a positive review of a specific project?" A replied, "It is a bit difficult for me to comment on that."
Meanwhile, Song faces charges of distributing envelopes containing a total of 66.5 million won to party officials and regional headquarters chiefs in March and April 2021, ahead of the Democratic Party’s party convention. He is also accused of receiving 763 million won in political funds through an external organization, the Incorporated Association for Research on Livelihood Issues.
He was detained and indicted in January this year. Since then, he founded the Sonamudang party and declared his candidacy for the April 10 general election, requesting bail. However, the court rejected the request, and he failed to appear at two consecutive trial sessions. On the 2nd, he declared a hunger strike, refusing to attend the trial, claiming "his suffrage rights were violated." Song appeared at the trial on the 15th for the third session.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
