"Excel File at the Center of Evidence Fabrication Claim Directly Confirmed with Mr. Jung"
Democratic Party Files Complaint Alleging Evidence Fabrication by Daejang-dong Case Prosecutor
The Democratic Party of Korea filed a complaint alleging that the prosecutor in charge of Lee Jaemyung's Daejang-dong case had fabricated evidence, to which the prosecution responded by stating that this was not true.
On June 2, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office announced to the media, "Jung Younghak voluntarily appeared before the prosecution in September 2021, at the early stage of the investigation into the Daejang-dong development corruption case, stating, 'I will reveal the truth to the prosecution.' He repeatedly testified, 'Based on the analysis of the Wirye project and others, I knew that the Daejang-dong land sale price would be at least 15 million won per pyeong, but if the simulation (expected profit distribution) results were followed, it would reveal that the private sector was taking excessive profits. Therefore, I prepared documents as if the land sale price was expected to be 14 million won per pyeong.'
Regarding the Excel file at the center of the evidence fabrication claim, the prosecution explained, "Based on Mr. Jung's testimony, we entered the actual figure of 15 million won into the file provided by Mr. Jung and asked him to confirm, 'Is this how the simulation was conducted at the time?' Throughout the entire investigation process, Mr. Jung's attorney was present and signed and sealed the records. Mr. Jung also testified to the same effect in court in September 2022."
The prosecution further stated, "Later, as additional investigations and trials progressed, and as Yoo Donggyu and Nam Wook also admitted to the facts, making it impossible to avoid punishment, Mr. Jung reversed his previous testimony in December last year. However, during the trial in January this year, it was clearly revealed through various pieces of evidence that this claim was not credible. The prosecution will continue to do its utmost to maintain the indictment without wavering."
Mr. Jung, a certified public accountant, is one of four private sector developers indicted in November 2021 on charges including breach of trust, alongside Kim Manbae, the major shareholder of Hwacheon Daeyu Asset Management, Yoo Donggyu, former head of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation, and attorney Nam Wook. They are on trial for allegedly causing 489.5 billion won in damages to Seongnam Urban Development Corporation in connection with the Daejang-dong development project, which was carried out while Lee Jaemyung was serving as mayor of Seongnam.
The prosecution determined that Mr. Jung calculated the expected project profits and prepared the business plan by reducing the expected land sale price from over 15 million won per pyeong to 14 million won per pyeong. Mr. Jung actively cooperated with the investigation by providing transcripts of conversations among those involved, and was recognized as a crime whistleblower under the Act on the Protection of Reporters of Specific Crimes. Unlike the other three, he was indicted without detention.
However, it was reported that in a written opinion submitted to the court in March, Mr. Jung claimed that he had never created an Excel file with a figure of 15 million won per pyeong.
The Democratic Party explained that Mr. Jung stated, "(Regarding the relevant evidence) it appears that someone arbitrarily entered the figure of 15 million won per pyeong into the file, conducted a separate business feasibility analysis simulation, and then printed out the results."
The Democratic Party's Legal Committee held a press conference the previous day, declaring, "It has been revealed that the Daejang-dong case involving candidate Lee was fabricated by the prosecution." The committee announced that it would file charges against the prosecutor in charge for evidence forgery and use, falsification of official documents, and use of falsified official documents, and submitted a complaint to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials on this day.
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