Kim Yong-jin, CEO of Newstapa, who is accused of defaming President Yoon Suk-yeol through false reports during the last presidential election, appeared at the prosecution office on the 5th.
The Special Investigation Team for 'Presidential Election Interference and Public Opinion Manipulation' at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (led by Lee Jun-dong, Head of the Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 1) summoned Kim as a suspect and has been investigating him since around 10 a.m. that day. This comes six months after a forced search, including a raid on Kim's residence on December 6 of last year.
Kim Yong-jin, CEO of Newstapa, is responding to reporters' questions as he enters the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the morning of June 5th for a summons investigation regarding allegations of involvement in the false interview report of Kim Man-bae. 2024.6.5 (Photo by Yonhap News)
Upon his appearance, Kim told reporters, "The Anti-Corruption Division of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office is an elite prosecutorial organization composed of the most outstanding people in the Korean prosecution." He added, "The organization, funded by taxpayers to investigate major crimes and corruption of power, is mobilizing more than ten prosecutors to investigate a single case of critical reporting and presidential candidate verification by the non-profit independent media Newstapa for nearly a year." He further stated, "This is a clear retaliatory investigation and a political probe aimed at silencing critical media," and strongly criticized, "Can the taxpayers who pay taxes tolerate this?"
Kim continued, "Who should really be standing here? The person who immediately comes to mind when talking about stock manipulation and luxury bags is First Lady Kim Keon-hee," and questioned, "Also, the person responsible for obstructing the investigation into the death of a sergeant who died unjustly?shouldn't that person be here?"
In March 2022, ahead of the presidential election, Kim released the 'September 2021 recorded conversation between Shin Hak-rim and Kim Man-bae,' reporting a false interview implying that President Yoon had covered up the investigation into the Busan Savings Bank case. However, the prosecution believes that Kim paid 165 million won to former Press Union Chairman Shin Hak-rim in exchange for the false interview. Kim is charged with defaming President Yoon (violation of the Information and Communications Network Act).
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