7 Current and Former Democratic Party Lawmakers Involved in 'Jeon-Dae Money Envelope Scandal' Again Refuse Prosecutors' Summons

On the 20th, it was reported that seven current and former Democratic Party lawmakers suspected of being involved in the so-called 'money envelope incident' during the 2021 Democratic Party convention did not respond to repeated summons requests from the prosecution.

According to the legal community on the 20th, the Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Choi Jae-hoon) sent a third summons request on the 12th to seven of the ten current and former Democratic Party lawmakers who attended the lawmakers' meeting where money envelopes were distributed, excluding the three who have already been indicted, but none responded. Some reportedly submitted written statements explaining their absence.

Prosecutors have filed an arrest warrant for the fifth cousin of Justice Minister Cho Kuk, a key figure in the 'private equity fund suspicion,' and there are expectations that Professor Jung Kyung-shim, the minister's wife, will soon be summoned. The photo was taken on the 16th at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

The prosecution maintains that in-person investigations are still necessary and plans to request additional summonses according to relevant procedures. A Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office official said, "The election is over and the National Assembly has convened, so we expect active cooperation with the investigation process."

Regarding the possibility of taking coercive measures such as requesting arrest warrants, the official said, "Since the investigation is ongoing, it is difficult to comment specifically," adding, "We will continue to encourage attendance."

The prosecution believes that these seven individuals received money envelopes containing 3 million won each from former lawmaker Yoon Kwan-seok at a support meeting for former party leader Song Young-gil held on April 28, 2021, in the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee small conference room in the National Assembly main building. Three related Democratic Party lawmakers?Heo Jong-sik, and former lawmakers Lee Seong-man and Lim Jong-seong?have been indicted.

According to the prosecution, it was confirmed that ten money envelopes were distributed a second time the day after the aforementioned date, but summons requests have not yet been issued to the ten lawmakers suspected of receiving the second batch of money envelopes.

Meanwhile, when asked about the necessity of summoning Kim Geon-hee, the spouse of President Yoon Seok-yeol, in connection with the Deutsche Motors stock manipulation case, a prosecution official refrained from commenting, saying, "It is difficult to answer regarding specific investigation methods or timing." When asked whether the stance of "investigating without any sanctuary" toward Mrs. Kim remains unchanged, the official replied, "‘Without sanctuary’ is an expression of value judgment," adding, "It does not resonate that a prosecutor stating facts would use such an expression."

Earlier, Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok said on the 3rd, when asked about summoning Mrs. Kim, "There are no exceptions, privileges, or sanctuaries before the law."