Prosecutors Request Arrest Warrant for Geonjin Beopsa on Charges of Violating Political Funds Act

The prosecution has requested an arrest warrant for Jeon Seong-bae (64), known as the 'Geonjin Beopsa,' who is accused of receiving illegal funds from multiple candidates during local elections.

Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

On the 18th, the Virtual Asset Crime Task Force of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Park Geon-wook) announced that it had requested an arrest warrant for Jeon on charges of violating the Political Funds Act.

Jeon was arrested on suspicion of receiving illegal political funds amounting to hundreds of millions of won from candidates running in the internal primary of the Liberty Korea Party (the predecessor of the People Power Party) and other local politicians ahead of the 2018 mayoral election in Yeongcheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do.

The prosecution is investigating whether Jeon received money under the name of a 'nomination donation.' It is known that Jeon claims to have returned the money after the candidate was not nominated.

Jeon was involved in Yoon Seok-yeol's presidential campaign in 2022 and had previously been suspected of leveraging his close relationship with the president and the first lady to intervene in business interests.