[앵커]
Among the recent investigations involving Democratic Party Chairman Lee Jae-myung, the prosecution is accelerating two cases: Ssang Bul-Bul and the alleged sponsorship of Seongnam FC.
Lee’s aides have already been the subject of major investigations, meaning the prosecution increases the level of pressure on Lee.
Correspondent Song Jae-in reports.
[기자]
On the 28th of last month, Lee Hwa-young, former deputy governor for peace in Gyeonggi-do, was arrested on charges of accepting bribes from Ssangbull.
[이화영 / 전 경기도 평화부지사 (지난 27일) : (이재명 대표 측근으로 알고 있는데 이재명 대표 관련 있는 사건입니까?) ….]
I am a close aide to Lee Jae-myung, the president of the Democratic Party of Korea, who served as the head of the election campaign in the 2018 Gyeonggi gubernatorial election camp.
After Lee was elected president, former Vice Governor Lee was appointed Vice Governor of Gyeonggi Peace, and prosecutors were caught taking bribes from Ssangbull, where he previously served as an advisor and outside director.
It is suspected that SsangBall received 250 million won, including SsangBall’s corporate card, in exchange for helping the business by leading the agreement to win a contract for a mineral business right from the North.
The former deputy governor himself also owns a borrowed name of 100 million earned from the associated shares of SsangBall, which had an upward impact on the stock price due to the business.
About 10 days ago, Jeong Jin-sang, head of the political affairs coordination office of the representative office of the Democratic Party, a key close aide to Lee, was the subject of the prosecution’s mandatory investigation.
At the same time as the prosecution began a direct investigation into the ‘Seongnam FC’ suspect, it also seized and searched the home of Chung, who was the head of Seongnam City’s policy department at the time.
Since then, the prosecution has even secured a statement to the effect that Director Jeong led the fundraising of Seongnam FC, which did not have a title.
[곽선우 / 전 성남 FC 대표 : 정 실장이 구단주 역할을 당시에 하고 있었으니까 이재명 시장님을 대리해서…. 본인이 주도해서 당연히 (후원을 유치)한 거죠. 그럼 누가 그걸 주도해서 해요. (구단이 아니라) 시에서 주도해서 하는 거니까….]
With the two claims of Ssang Bul-Bul and Seongnam FC, the prosecution increases the pressure on CEO Jae-Myung Lee.
Ultimately, it appears that they will investigate the extent of involvement of CEO Lee, who is the final approval authority, but it appears that we will have to wait a little longer until the investigation into the allegations done.
This is because securing new recruits for ex-Chairman Kim Seong-tae, who is fleeing abroad, is essential for the prosecution to investigate Lee’s ‘dubious payment of attorney fees’, which is the final goal of the investigation.
Seongnam FC’s claims are also controversial, both inside and outside the legal circles as to whether the charge of bribery or accepting a third party can be applied to CEO Lee.
In order to directly investigate CEO Jae-myung Lee, more evidence and statements are needed.
This is Song Jae-in from YTN.
Song YTN Jae-in (songji10@ytn.co.kr)
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