Next Week, Investigation Team's Accusation and Supreme Prosecutors' Office Inspection Request Also Proceeding
The Supreme Prosecutors' Office Investigation Deliberation Committee recommended the prosecution to indict Pastor Choi Jae-young, who gave luxury bags and other items to First Lady Kim Keon-hee, on charges of violating the Anti-Graft Act. On the 25th, employees were moving at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-dong, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yong-jun jun21@
Former Democratic Party lawmaker Choi Kang-wook, who had accused First Lady Kim Keon-hee of stock price manipulation involving Deutsche Motors, has filed an appeal against the prosecution's decision not to indict.
According to the legal community on the 31st, former lawmaker Choi and lawyer Hwang Hee-seok (former senior member of the Democratic Party) held a press conference at 12:30 p.m. at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office and submitted the appeal. Former lawmaker Choi stated, "I could not possibly accept this and felt it was unacceptable, so I decided to appeal," emphasizing, "In a time of national turmoil, those who have done wrong must pay the appropriate price and bear responsibility."
Lawyer Hwang criticized, "The prosecution's decision not to indict is truly shameful and disgraceful," adding, "It seems like people who do not know shame." He further pointed out, "As written in the appeal statement, those who gained a total profit exceeding 9 billion won, including 2.3 billion won, are all excluded from prosecution. Only the operatives and manipulation forces involved in the stock price manipulation were convicted in the appellate court."
Earlier, on the 17th, the Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (led by Chief Prosecutor Choi Jae-hoon) decided not to indict Kim, the president's spouse, who was suspected of violating the Capital Markets Act in connection with the 'alleged involvement in stock price manipulation of Deutsche Motors.' The prosecution judged that although six securities accounts of Kim were used for stock price manipulation through former Deutsche Motors Chairman Kwon Oh-soo and others, Kim did not have knowledge of this, so the charges could not be established.
The appeal submitted by them contains evidence refuting the prosecution's reasons for non-indictment. It argues that, legally, joint principal offenders and at least aiding and abetting charges should be established regarding the stock price manipulation. They also plan to file complaints and request an inspection by the Supreme Prosecutors' Office against the investigation team that handled the Deutsche Motors case. It is expected that allegations will include the delay of over four years in handling the case and false briefings to the media during official press conferences.
Former lawmaker Choi and lawyer Hwang initially filed the complaint related to the Deutsche Motors stock price manipulation case on April 7, 2020. The prosecution only decided not to indict the case on the 17th of this month, four years and six months later. Lawyer Hwang criticized, "The investigation into the stock price manipulation case did not proceed at all and was only revived toward the end of the previous administration. I want to ask once again whether the prosecution truly represents the public interest."
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