Civic Group Files 5 Complaints Against Jeonguiyeon Officials Over Donation Accounting Controversy

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] The 'Judicial Exam Preparation Students Association' announced on the 14th that it has filed a complaint with the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office against Yoon Mi-hyang, a member-elect of the National Assembly from the Together Citizens Party and former director of the Justice and Memory Foundation, and an unidentified accomplice, on charges including violation of the Act on the Collection and Use of Donations, embezzlement and breach of trust in the course of duty, and fraud.

In the complaint, citing media reports, they claimed, "The Justice and Memory Foundation and its predecessor, Jeongdaehyeop (Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan), refused to submit supporting documents despite accounting errors amounting to tens of millions of won," and "The accused (including Representative Jeong) managed the organization’s finances from the Jeongdaehyeop era until just before the Together Citizens Party nomination, frequently collecting donations into accounts under their own name."

Currently, a total of five complaints have been filed with the prosecution against Representative Yoon and others.

The civic group 'Hwalbindan' filed a complaint with the Supreme Prosecutors' Office on the 11th, accusing Representative Yoon of embezzlement and fraud for allegedly misappropriating donations to Jeongdaehyeop and the Justice and Memory Foundation. This complaint has since been transferred to the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office.

On the 12th, the 'Joint Countermeasure Committee for Truth Clarification of Anti-Japanese Statues' and 'Action for Proper Education Rights' also filed a complaint with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, alleging that Representative Yoon and Jeongdaehyeop mentally abused youths by teaching terms such as 'war crimes,' 'sex slaves,' and 'prostitution' during Wednesday demonstrations.

On the same day, the 'Free Republic of Korea Patriotic Corps' filed a complaint accusing Representative Yoon and grandmother Lee Yong-soo, a victim of the Japanese military sexual slavery, of fraud for collecting donations based on false claims. Additionally, 'Active Free Citizens' filed a complaint on the 13th with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office against Representative Yoon and Lee Na-young, director of the Justice and Memory Foundation, on charges including embezzlement and fraud.

Meanwhile, the Justice and Memory Foundation issued a statement in the afternoon addressing suspicions that Representative Yoon had repeatedly collected donations into bank accounts under her own name rather than those of the Justice and Memory Foundation or Jeongdaehyeop.

The Foundation explained, "Representative Yoon served as the chief mourner at the funeral of Grandmother Kim Bok-dong in January 2019 and, like other organizations, disclosed a chief mourner account to receive condolence money. The condolence money collected was used to cover all funeral expenses on the day of the funeral, and the remaining funds were used for donations and scholarships according to the deceased’s wishes."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.