“Some of Lee Hwayoung’s Testimony Confirmed” Ministry of Justice Orders Inspection into Suwon Prosecutors’ Office over “Salmon and Alcohol” Allegations

“Drinking Party” During Lee Hwayoung and Ssangbangwool’s North Korea Remittance Investigation
Ministry of Justice Confirms Some Allegations in Fact-Finding Probe
Minister Jeong Sungho Orders Inspection of Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office

Yonhap News Agency

The Ministry of Justice has found that some aspects of the so-called “salmon and alcohol party” allegations at the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office, which were raised by former Gyeonggi Province Vice Governor for Peace Lee Hwayoung at the National Assembly in October last year, are true.

On the 17th, the Ministry of Justice released the results of its investigation to the media. At the direction of Minister Jeong Sungho, the ministry formed a special inspection team within the Corrections Bureau at the end of July to analyze records such as the transfer logs and conduct a fact-finding investigation related to Lee’s testimony. According to the findings, while the date differed, a similar incident to the “salmon and alcohol party” in the video recording room of Room 1313 at the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office, which was alleged to have occurred on June 18, 2023, did take place.

The Ministry of Justice stated that on May 17 of that year, former Vice Governor Lee Hwayoung, former Ssangbangwool Group Chairman Kim Seongtae, former Ssangbangwool Group Vice Chairman Bang Yongcheol, and others, along with Prosecutor Park Sangyong, had dinner consisting of salmon bibimbap and salmon sushi in the video recording room of Room 1313 at the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office. During this meal, it was confirmed that Kim Seongtae and others drank soju from paper cups.

The ministry also determined that other allegations raised by former Vice Governor Lee are likely to be true. Between January 17, 2023, and January 23, 2024, during Kim Seongtae’s detention, the following were found to be supported by corrections officers’ testimonies: ▲ Kim Seongtae repeatedly received outside lunchboxes and food of his choice; ▲ Kim Seongtae, Lee Hwayoung, and other accomplices frequently gathered and conversed in the video recording room and a space referred to as the “storage room”; ▲ an employee of Ssangbangwool Group was stationed in Room 1313 at the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office and attended to Kim Seongtae; ▲ a current corrections officer protested against Prosecutor Park Sangyong’s inappropriate conduct during the investigation process.

Minister Jeong has ordered an inspection and other follow-up measures regarding the illegal and improper actions uncovered by the investigation.