Prosecutors Fail to Detain An Busu and Others in 'North Korea Remittance Testimony Sway' Case

Court: "Difficult to Recognize Grounds and Validity for Detention"

An Bu-su, Chairman of the Asia-Pacific Peace Exchange Association, is attending the pre-trial detention hearing at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 10th. Photo by Yonhap News

Prosecutors investigating allegations that they attempted to sway testimony with a salmon and alcohol party during the investigation into the "Ssangbangwool remittance to North Korea case" have failed to secure the detention of An Bu-su, Chairman of the Asia-Pacific Peace Exchange Association, and other related individuals.

On the 11th, Nam Sejin, the judge in charge of warrants at the Seoul Central District Court, dismissed the arrest warrants for Chairman An, former Ssangbangwool Vice Chairman Bang Yongcheol, and former Director Park, stating, "At this stage, it is difficult to recognize the necessity and validity of detention."

Judge Nam explained that, in the case of Chairman An, "The suspect acknowledges the objective facts, and the basic evidence has already been collected. Given that he has a fixed residence and family ties, the progress of the investigation and his attendance status, the fact that all damages have been recovered, and his health condition, it is difficult to recognize grounds for detention."

Regarding former Vice Chairman Bang and former Director Park, the judge stated that, considering the evidence collected so far, the progress of the investigation, recovery of damages, and their fixed residences, it is difficult to acknowledge the necessity for detention during the investigation.

Previously, the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office Human Rights Violation Task Force had requested arrest warrants for Chairman An, former Vice Chairman Bang, and former Director Park on charges of obstruction of official duties by fraudulent means, embezzlement, and breach of trust.

Prosecutors believe that the Ssangbangwool side provided various benefits to Chairman An and his family in exchange for changing his testimony. These benefits allegedly included paying Chairman An's legal fees, providing his child with a residential officetel, and offering preferential treatment such as employment at the company.

When Chairman An was first detained in 2022, he testified to prosecutors that "the 8 million dollars Ssangbangwool provided to North Korea was for investment and stock price manipulation." Later, he changed his statement, saying it was "money for the planned visit to North Korea by Gyeonggi Province and then-Governor Lee Jaemyung."

Previously, Chairman An was sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in prison on February 2 on charges including conspiring with former Ssangbangwool Chairman Kim Seongtae to send hundreds of millions of won in foreign currency to North Korea.

It was found that from March 2023, for approximately 2 years and 8 months, former Vice Chairman Bang and others provided an officetel to Chairman An's daughter and paid her rent and deposit, amounting to 72.8 million won.

Additionally, prosecutors charged former Director Park with obstruction of official duties by fraudulent means, alleging that on May 17, 2023, he brought soju into the Suwon High Prosecutors' Office interrogation room. They claim he deceived security staff by pretending the soju was water, thereby interfering with official duties.

Prosecutors also added a charge of breach of trust, alleging that the salmon and alcohol provided to former Chairman Kim Seongtae and others at the time were paid for with Ssangbangwool's corporate credit card, causing financial loss to the company.

However, during the warrant review, Chairman An and others reportedly denied all charges. They admitted to receiving financial support such as rent, but argued it was for business support or humanitarian reasons, not to induce changes in testimony. Former Director Park emphasized that he never brought soju into the interrogation room.