◀ Anchor ▶
The prosecution’s investigation into the representative of the Democratic Party, Lee Jae-myung, is being conducted in many ways, right?
Ssangbangwool, former chairman Kim Seong-tae, and former head of the Seongnam Urban Development Corporation Dong-gyu Yoo, who are key participants in various allegations, opened their mouths again.
Representative Lee Jae-myeong also refuted these claims.
Now let’s look at the rankings of the three key characters one by one.
First of all, I will look at the statement of former Chairman Kim Seong-tae, who said that he did not know Lee.
Former Chairman Kim, who was recently arrested, suddenly changed his position.
He told prosecutors he sent $3 million to North Korea for Chairman Lee Jae-myung’s visit.
First, reporter Kim Ji-in will tell you.
◀ Report ▶
Lee Hwa-young, vice governor of peace in Gyeonggi-do, who visited North Korea in 2018, announced an agreement with the North to open a Gyeonggi branch of Okryu-gwan, a Pyongyang naengmyeon restaurant.
At the same time, Lee Jae-myeong mentioned the plan to visit Gyeonggi Province at the time to visit Pyongyang.
[이화영/당시 경기도 평화부지사]
“The governor of Gyeonggi-do, the Gyeonggi-do council in Gyeonggi-do, and the heads of city and county organizations have decided to visit North Korea when necessary.”
Prosecutors secured statements that former chairman Kim Seong-tae of Ssangbangwool was involved in Lee’s plan to visit North Korea.
Former Chairman Kim said, “In July 2019, at an international event in Gyeonggi-do held in the Philippines, I met with North Korean agent Ri Ho-nam and conveyed Lee Jae-myung’s intention to visit North Korea.”
“Ri Ho-nam asked for 5 million dollars for expenses, and former chairman Kim negotiated for 3 million dollars and send this money to the North,” he said.
It was admitted that there was an additional payment apart from the expenses of the North Korean Gyeonggi-do project, which the prosecution had suspected.
There were three payments to North Korea, and he explained, “The $5 million sent in January and April 2019 was for the Gyeonggi-do ‘Smart Farm’ project, and the $3 million in November and December was for Lee’s visit to North Korea.”
He also reversed his position that he had never spoken to CEO Lee.
In January 2019, when the cost of the first smart farm was sent, “Deputy Governor Lee Hwa-young changed the phone while meeting a North Korean person in China and discussing projects in North Korea.
However, he said that the money sent was personal money, not company money, and he had never met Lee Jae-myung in person.
Prosecutors are tracing money flows to see if Ssangbangwool paid Lee’s attorney fees instead, while checking Gyeonggi-do’s business process toward North Korea at the time to see if the statement is true.
This is Kim Ji-in from MBC News.
Video editing: Lee Jeong-geun
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