Song Young-gil, after being released on bail... "I will prove my innocence"

Song Young-gil (60), leader of the Sonamoo Party, who was pointed out as the pinnacle of the Democratic Party's money envelope scandal and had been on trial in custody, was released on bail on the 30th.

Dressed in a suit without a tie, Representative Song left Seoul Detention Center around 5 p.m. that day with a smiling expression.

When asked by reporters about his thoughts on being granted bail after the general election, Song said, "Today is the opening day of the 22nd National Assembly. Although I failed to enter the floor, I am grateful to the court for granting bail." He added, "I will sincerely attend the trial while not in custody and do my best to prove my innocence."

Regarding the testimony by former Democratic Party Deputy Secretary-General Lee Jeong-geun at the previous day's trial, stating that Song was aware of the overall money envelope scandal in the Democratic Party, Song said, "I will explain in detail later, but Lee's civil creditor-debtor relationship was changed to the crime of mediation bribery, and it has nothing to do with the money envelope. How did Lee's recorded file come to be used in the investigation of the money envelope case?" He added, "We argue that using it arbitrarily without a warrant itself has no evidentiary value."

Regarding the prosecution's demand for a five-year prison sentence at the second trial of former lawmaker Yoon Kwan-seok that day, Song said, "The Public Official Election Act, which is much more blameworthy, has a statute of limitations of six months to ensure legal stability, so it is not right to handle the party convention case from three years ago without a statute of limitations." He added, "I plan to file a constitutional complaint against the current Political Parties Act."

Song said he plans to visit the Gwangju National 5·18 Democratic Cemetery on the 31st as his first official schedule. He explained, "I founded the party and ran for office while in prison, but I was not able to shake the hands of voters even once, yet many people supported me." He added, "I plan to visit Gwangju to express my gratitude to those people."