Ewha-young Lee, the first to speak on 'drinking party persuasion' claim by President Lee
False allegations by serious corruption criminals
"Must stop attempts to undermine the judicial system"
Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok, regarding former Gyeonggi Province Deputy Governor for Peace Lee Hwa-young's claim of 'drunken persuasion,' stated on the 23rd, "A major corruption criminal is attempting to collapse the judicial system with false claims ahead of the first trial verdict," adding, "A public party should not simply believe and be swayed by such statements from Deputy Governor Lee Hwa-young."
On the same day, Lee made these remarks during a brief press conference with reporters while visiting the Changwon District Prosecutors' Office in response to related questions.
Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok is responding to questions regarding former Gyeonggi Province Deputy Governor for Peace Lee Hwa-young's alleged attempt to influence during a drinking party at the prosecution office, during his visit to Changwon District Prosecutors' Office on the afternoon of the 23rd.
Lee said, "Former Deputy Governor Lee Hwa-young is on trial for serious corruption crimes, including receiving illegal bribes exceeding 250 million won, illegal political funds exceeding 330 million won, and illegally remitting 80 million USD, which is about 10 billion won in our currency, to North Korea. Additionally, he is charged with instructing evidence destruction during the investigation process," adding, "The court has issued arrest warrants three times, and the law stipulates that such serious corruption crimes carry sentences of life imprisonment or a minimum of 10 years in prison."
He continued, "Deputy Governor Lee only recently, on the 4th when the trial concluded after 1 year and 7 months, made the claim that 'he drank alcohol at the prosecutor's office,' which he had not asserted before," and said, "A defendant on trial for serious corruption crimes must immediately stop actions that shake and attack the judicial system."
Lee presented three reasons supporting his judgment that former Deputy Governor Lee is attempting to incapacitate the judicial system through false claims.
He explained, "First, Deputy Governor Lee testified about Lee Jae-myung's involvement in North Korea remittances in front of lawyers he trusted and appointed, but then dismissed those lawyers, saying he no longer trusted them. He also filed recusals against the three judges presiding over his trial, and after those were dismissed, he filed recusals three more times with the High Court and Supreme Court, all of which were also dismissed," adding, "He is shaking the judicial system of the courts as well."
He added, "Third, Deputy Governor Lee only now, after 1 year and 7 months of trial, is claiming that he drank alcohol at the prosecution."
Lee said, "Looking at the timing of that claim, it keeps changing between May, June, and July," and continued, "When the prosecution presented clear evidence proving the claim false, including departure logs and escort plans, he now claims he drank alcohol 'on some day.'"
He further stated, "The location also changed from a storage room in front of the prosecutor's office to a video recording interrogation room in the prosecutor's office."
He also noted, "He initially said he drank alcohol with former Ssangbangwool Chairman Kim Sung-tae and Bang Yong-chul, but now says he drank with prosecutors and investigators," adding, "Previously in court, he said he drank so much that his face turned red and waited a long time until sober before returning to the detention center, but now he says he only put his lips to the drink and did not actually drink. It is impossible to know whether he drank or not."
Lee urged the Democratic Party, which has been escalating its offensive against the prosecution by visiting the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, Suwon Detention Center, and Supreme Prosecutors' Office in protest and threatening to file complaints against related prosecutors following Deputy Governor Lee's court testimony, to exercise restraint.
He said, "A major corruption criminal is attempting to collapse and destroy the judicial system with false claims ahead of the first trial verdict on June 7, and a public party should not simply believe and be swayed by such statements from Deputy Governor Lee," adding, "They must never again attempt to incapacitate, attack, or shake the judicial system of the courts and prosecution. I want to emphasize that such actions must stop."
Lee also expressed dissatisfaction toward Representative Lee Jae-myung, who fueled the controversy by supporting Deputy Governor Lee's claims as "100% true" without conducting a fact-finding investigation shortly after the controversy erupted.
He said, "Representative Lee Jae-myung said that Deputy Governor Lee's statements are '100% true,' but then I want to ask if the earlier testimony by Deputy Governor Lee about Representative Lee Jae-myung's involvement in North Korea remittances is also 100% true."
Lee concluded, "Lastly, I want to say that lying, fabricating falsehoods, or shaking the courts and prosecution to attack the judicial system will neither erase existing crimes nor reduce them, nor will it allow one to avoid criminal punishment," adding, "We should not turn judicial issues into political disputes or political problems, and calmly await the court's verdict on June 7. This is respecting the judicial system established by the Constitution and laws, as well as our constitutional order."
When asked why he decided to directly express his position on the controversy on this day, Lee replied, "I hoped that judicial issues would not become political disputes or political problems, so I refrained from speaking and waited patiently for the issue to be resolved in court," adding, "However, as this issue has gradually escalated beyond attacks on the prosecution to shaking the entire judicial system and attempting to suppress it by force, I can no longer remain silent."
He continued, "As the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Korea, if there are problems with the prosecution, I must lead efforts to correct and improve them more than anyone else. However, regarding unfair external pressure and undue influence on the prosecution and judicial system, I must be a shield, a support, and a breakwater to block them. This is why I am speaking today," and asked for understanding.
Meanwhile, when asked about personnel matters related to prosecutors, including Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office Chief Song Kyung-ho, Lee avoided a direct answer, saying, "The Minister of Justice has already stated that there will be no personnel changes after his recent inauguration. While the Prosecutor General participates in consultations regarding personnel, I am not the one making personnel decisions, so it is difficult to give a definitive answer."
He said, "A public official should think that their position is not permanent," adding, "Wherever you are or wherever you go, you should do your best. That is my belief."
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