[2025 Audit] Dispute Over North Korea Remittance Attorney Resignation: Prosecution Cites "Hyunji Kim's Reprimand" vs. Lee Ewhayoung Says "Without Notice"

Prosecutor Park Sangyong Testifies on the Ssangbangwool Case at National Assembly Audit
Opposition Raises Suspicion: "Attorney Replacement Aimed to Induce Testimony"
Ewhayoung Lee Claims, "Recantation Was Due to Prosecution's Coercion and Threats"

During the investigation into the "Ssangbangwool North Korea Remittance" case, a prosecutor testified that Hyunji Kim, the First Secretary to the President, had influence over the replacement of Ewhayoung Lee's defense attorney, who was the former Deputy Governor for Peace of Gyeonggi Province. In response, Lee countered that the attorney in question had acted in a manner that supported the prosecution and resigned without any explanation.

Ewhayoung Lee, former Deputy Governor for Peace of Gyeonggi Province, is responding to a lawmaker's question at the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee audit of the Ministry of Justice and others on October 14, 2025. Photo by Hyunmin Kim

At the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee audit held in Yeouido on the 14th, Park Sangyong, the prosecutor who investigated the case at the time, responded to questions from Joo Jinwoo, a lawmaker from the People Power Party, regarding the "Ssangbangwool North Korea Remittance" case. Park stated, "Attorney Seol Juwan, who was representing former Deputy Governor Lee, suddenly resigned. When I asked for the reason, he said he had received harsh criticism over the phone from Hyunji Kim of the Democratic Party."

Prosecutor Park continued, "The investigation did not proceed smoothly without a defense attorney. There was even an incident where an unappointed attorney barged into the prosecutor's office and tried to disrupt the investigation. Even after that, no attorney was appointed for some time, so the attorney who was representing Lee at trial was newly appointed, and after that, more specific confessions were made." He added, "Afterwards, attorney Kim Gwangmin was appointed."

When Joo Jinwoo asked, "Are you certain about these facts?" Prosecutor Park replied, "That is what I heard, and I also reported the situation to my superiors." Joo concluded his questioning by saying, "Secretary Kim should appear as a witness. I will ask further questions."

The Ssangbangwool North Korea Remittance case involved former Deputy Governor Lee being indicted for receiving bribes amounting to hundreds of millions of won from the Ssangbangwool Group and conspiring in an $8 million remittance to North Korea between July 2018 and July 2022. The Supreme Court ultimately sentenced him to seven years and eight months in prison.

Lee initially confessed that he had reported Ssangbangwool's payment of North Korea visit expenses to then-Gyeonggi Governor Jaemyung Lee, who is now President. However, he later recanted, claiming that his confession was false and made under coercion and threats from the prosecution.

At the time, Lee's defense attorney was changed. Lawmaker Joo raised suspicions, stating, "This is a typical phenomenon that occurs when someone tries to induce or shake up testimony."

However, Lee testified that the attorney change and his recantation of testimony were separate issues. When Younggyo Seo, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party, asked, "The Ministry of Justice was investigating the case, and alcohol was brought into the investigation room. You said that a confrontation between related parties was arranged but no official record was made. Is this correct?" Lee answered, "Yes."

Lee further stated, "I do not know if Prosecutor Park orchestrated it, but alcohol was brought into the room where we were together. I was told that if I testified against Jaemyung Lee, my sentence would be reduced and I would be released." Lee also said, "They even threatened to arrest my son."

Regarding the attorney change, Lee explained, "Attorney Seol was not originally my appointed attorney, but for some reason, he offered to help with my case. I had another attorney, but he did not attend the prosecution's investigation, so I told my wife that I needed someone to accompany me, and that is how Attorney Seol came to be present."

Lee added, "Attorney Seol consistently acted in a way that supported the prosecution rather than helping me, so we kept having arguments. Then, without saying anything about resigning, he suddenly quit and did not show up again."