"Ewhayeong's Statement Appears 100% True"
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, recently commented on former Gyeonggi Province Peace Deputy Governor Lee Hwa-young's 'drinking party' remarks, saying, "The prosecution should not say it is 'absurd,' but simply verify the CCTV footage, departure records, and statements from the responsible correctional officers, which would make the matter straightforward."
On the 16th, while attending the trial related to charges of breach of trust and bribery involving Daejang-dong, Seongnam FC, and Baekhyeon-dong at the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 33 (Presiding Judge Kim Dong-hyun), Lee stated, "Judging by the prosecution's attitude, former Deputy Governor Lee's testimony appears to be 100% factual."
Lee mentioned former Ssangbangwool Group Chairman Kim Seong-tae, Vice Chairman Bang Yong-chul, and former Deputy Governor Lee, saying, "The claim that the three entered a room labeled 'storage' in front of the prosecutor's office, held a drinking party, and conspired to give false testimony is from the parties involved," and added, "The prosecution denies this, but if so, they can simply check which prosecutor's office summoned the three suspects at the same time that day."
On the 16th, Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, arrived at the Seoul Central District Court to attend the trial regarding the Daejang-dong development corruption allegations. As he entered the courtroom, he spoke to reporters about the prosecution's allegations of a drinking party inducement involving former Gyeonggi Province Deputy Governor Lee Hwa-young. Photo by Heo Young-han younghan@
He continued, "There must have been CCTV, and regarding the Ssangbangwool employees who brought in salmon sashimi and alcohol that day, the entry records can be checked," adding, "Correctional officers personally manage inmates, so confirming whether they brought the detainees would easily clarify the matter."
Lee emphasized, "It is impossible for the prosecution to have gathered accomplices in one room, conspired on testimonies, and held a drinking party without the approval of the prosecutor," and said, "If correctional officers did such acts without instructions, it is a serious crime warranting imprisonment, so investigating the responsible correctional officers would easily reveal the truth."
Former Deputy Governor Lee, indicted on suspicion of illicit remittances to North Korea by Ssangbangwool, claimed during the trial on the 4th that his testimony was fabricated under the coercion of former Chairman Kim and others.
He stated, "We gathered in a room labeled 'storage' in front of Prosecutor's Office 1313. Ssangbangwool employees brought food from outside, and I even remember drinking alcohol once."
During the trial that day, the prosecution and the defense presented their opinions regarding the court testimony of former Seongnam Urban Development Corporation Planning Director Yoo Dong-gyu, a key figure in the Daejang-dong development preferential treatment allegations.
Lee said, "Yoo and the prosecution keep claiming that I colluded with private developers, but crimes require motives, don't they? I received no benefits or advantages from such collusion."
He asserted, "The claims by Yoo and others that private developers promised to support me in the June 2014 local elections in exchange for business rights are completely untrue," emphasizing, "On the contrary, I made them bear an additional 112 billion won in costs for tunnels and highway development. If there had been any vested interests, there would have been no need to impose such burdens so relentlessly."
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