Former National Assembly member Lee Sang-jik's appointment as chairman of the Small and Medium Business Corporation (hereinafter referred to as SBC) has come under suspicion. On the 20th, Lim Jong-seok, former Chief of Staff to the President, who appeared at the prosecution as a witness, strongly criticized the investigation, saying, "Anyone can see that this is excessive, political, and clearly reflects the president's intentions."
Im Jong-seok, former Chief of Staff to the President, is appearing at the Jeonju District Prosecutors' Office building in Manseong-dong, Jeonju, on the afternoon of the 20th.
Lim, upon arriving at the Jeonju District Prosecutors' Office in Manseong-dong, Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do, met with waiting reporters and made these remarks.
He said, "As everyone knows, the political retaliation investigations against personnel from the previous Moon Jae-in administration began immediately after the launch of the Yoon Seok-yeol government and have continued for three years now," adding, "We are already halfway through the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's term, so I cannot help but ask how much longer they will blame the previous administration and how long they intend to continue these political retaliation investigations against former government officials."
He continued, "So many people have been subjected to raids and long investigations to the point where there is hardly anyone who hasn't been summoned or investigated," and said, "Anyone can see that this is excessive, political, and clearly reflects the president's intentions."
Lim respectfully requested President Yoon Seok-yeol, saying, "I sincerely ask you to personally look into where this misguided loyalty competition among some political prosecutors and the excessively prolonged political retaliation investigations are heading."
He added, "Many people have already suffered greatly and continue to suffer," and said, "Even if the Moon Jae-in administration committed a major crime, this is enough."
Lim also appealed to the prosecution leadership, saying, "During the course of these political retaliation investigations, many public officials have endured unbearable suffering."
He further stated, "The prosecution wields a very sharp sword. Therefore, it carries greater responsibility and must exercise restraint to avoid misuse."
Regarding the issue of Lee's appointment as SBC chairman under investigation by the prosecution, Lim said, "The appointment process for the SBC chairman was conducted through the same procedures as any other presidential appointment," and added, "I sincerely hope that no more baseless puzzle pieces are put together to fuel unnecessary speculation."
After finishing his prepared remarks, he said, "If you could kindly understand, I will take questions on my way out after the investigation," and then entered the building.
The Criminal Division 3 of the Jeonju District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Han Yeon-gyu) began questioning Lim as a witness from 1:30 p.m. that day.
The prosecution, investigating the appointment process of Lee as SBC chairman during the Moon Jae-in administration and the alleged preferential hiring of Seo, the son-in-law of former President Moon, at an airline, is believed to be confirming what role Lim played at an unofficial Blue House meeting held at the end of 2017, where Lee, founder of Eastar Jet, was reportedly nominated as SBC chairman.
Earlier, the prosecution had booked former personnel chief Cho Hyun-ok on charges of abuse of authority and summoned key personnel from the Blue House personnel line to ascertain statements made during the meeting.
Lee was appointed SBC chairman in March 2018, the year following the unofficial meeting. However, controversy arose in July of the same year when Seo, former President Moon's son-in-law, was hired as executive director of Thai low-cost carrier Thai Eastar Jet, which Lee had established.
Seo, who had no practical experience in the airline industry, was hired as an executive at the airline struggling with poor performance in its early stages, raising suspicions that this was a quid pro quo favor related to Lee's appointment as SBC chairman.
The then-opposition party, People Power Party, viewed the Blue House as having intervened in Lee's appointment as SBC chairman and Seo's hiring at the airline, filing complaints with the prosecution four times between September 2020 and December 2021, requesting clarification of the suspicions.
The prosecution suspects that former President Moon and his wife financially supported their daughter Dahye's family, whose income was irregular, and that Seo was employed as an executive at Thai low-cost carrier Thai Eastar Jet and received a salary.
Recently, through the seizure and analysis of financial account records of former President Moon and First Lady Kim Jung-sook, the prosecution is believed to have confirmed when and to what extent the couple supported Dahye's family.
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