Legal Representative: "Spouse Was Prevented from Making Calls During Search and Seizure at Home"
Senior Pastor Younghoon Lee of Yoido Full Gospel Church is speaking at a press conference held at a hotel in Seoul on March 11. Photo by Yonhap News
Following Pastor Younghoon Lee of Yoido Full Gospel Church, Lee's legal representative has also strongly protested the special investigation team's search and seizure of the pastor's church office and residence in connection with the death of a Marine in the line of duty.
Kang Chanwoo, an attorney at law firm LKB Pyeongsan and legal representative for Pastor Lee, issued a press release on July 20 titled "Rebuttal to the Special Investigation Team's Search and Seizure of Yoido Full Gospel Church." In the statement, he asserted that Pastor Lee has no connection to the related suspicions and claimed that the special investigation team conducted an illegal and excessive investigation.
Attorney Kang stated, "Pastor Lee's basic position is that he has never made any requests or comments to relevant agencies or public officials regarding the death of the Marine in the line of duty," and added, "He has never mentioned or asked about this matter to any pastor or any other person, nor has he ever received a request for prayer from any involved party or church member."
He also pointed out problems with the search and seizure process conducted by the special investigation team. Kang said, "While searching Pastor Lee's residence, the seven-member special investigation team prevented his spouse, who was alone at the time, from making any phone calls to anyone, including her husband," and emphasized, "Pastor Lee's spouse was denied the opportunity to receive legal assistance." He further explained that as a result, she was unable to obtain any information about her rights during the search and seizure of the residence and the confiscation of materials.
He continued, "This was an illegal search and seizure that infringed upon the right to have legal counsel present and the right to receive legal assistance at the scene. Therefore, we request the immediate return of the seized materials and the disclosure of the identities of those responsible for this unlawful conduct."
He also criticized the special investigation team for conducting an excessive investigation by searching and seizing the residence and mobile phone of a reference witness, not a suspect, based solely on call records with little relevance to the case. Furthermore, he pointed out that a member of the special investigation team publicly suggested that "former division commander Im appeared to have lobbied former President Yoon Suk Yeol for rescue through Pastor Lee and others," thereby severely damaging the reference witness's reputation to an irreparable degree.
In a previous statement, Pastor Lee said, "I have never made any requests or comments to relevant agencies or public officials regarding the death of Private First Class Chae," and added, "I have never even received a request for prayer from any involved party or church member."
According to the special investigation team, Pastor Lee, who is known to have a connection with former division commander Im through the Military Mission Committee of the General Assembly of the Korea Assemblies of God (Kihasung), has come under investigation on suspicion of involvement in Im's "rescue lobbying." In response, former division commander Im issued a statement denying any lobbying activities and asserted, "I have never even contacted Pastor Lee."
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