Shin Young-dae on Prosecution's Arrest Warrant Request: "Targeted Investigation to Shift the Kim Geon-hee Gate Phase"

Shin Young-dae, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, emphasized on the 31st that the prosecution's request for an arrest warrant on charges including preferential treatment corruption allegations related to Saemangeum solar power is "merely a targeted investigation to divert attention and cover up the Kim Geon-hee Myeong Taegyun gate."

At a press conference held at the National Assembly Communication Office that afternoon, Rep. Shin said, "Regarding the (Saemangeum) bribery case, there is only testimony, and it is unreasonable to conclude a bribery case based solely on testimony."

Earlier, the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors' Office's National Financial Crime Joint Investigation Team (led by Chief Prosecutor Lee Il-gyu) announced that it had requested an arrest warrant for Rep. Shin on charges of violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (bribery) and the Public Official Election Act.

Rep. Shin is accused of receiving money and valuables worth about 100 million won from Seo, the representative of Gunsan Citizens Development Corporation, in exchange for resolving complaints related to the solar power project. He is also accused of being involved in manipulating public opinion to win against his competitor, former Rep. Kim Ui-gyeom, during the Democratic Party's primary election for the Gunsan·Gimje·Buan Gap constituency ahead of the 22nd National Assembly election last March.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Regarding the charges of violating the Public Official Election Act, Rep. Shin raised his voice, saying, "Despite over 30 search and seizure operations and summons of 20 people, there is no evidence, not even testimony," and added, "They are trying to catch me somehow even without any testimony. No matter how desperate the prosecution is, this is unacceptable."

He continued, "I appeared before the prosecution yesterday and was investigated for about two hours. And today, an arrest warrant was requested," adding, "The answer was already decided before the ink on the interrogation record dried. What remains is the prosecution's 'reply indictment.'"

Rep. Shin said, "The Yoon Seok-yeol Kim Geon-hee administration, which is nearing its end, is struggling desperately," and added, "I will fight to the end to prove my innocence to protect the honor of the Democratic Party and my own honor."

Meanwhile, under the National Assembly Act, to obtain consent for the arrest of a member of the National Assembly, the government must submit a request for consent to arrest to the competent court judge before the judge issues an arrest warrant. The government must then submit the consent to arrest proposal to the National Assembly, attaching a copy of the acceptance. When the Speaker of the National Assembly reports this consent proposal at the first plenary session after submission, the vote must be held between 24 hours and 72 hours after the report to the plenary session.