Prosecutors Request Arrest Warrant for Song Cheol-ho, Former Ulsan Mayor's Campaign Chief... Alleged 'Prior Bribery' Charges

Song Cheol-ho, Mayor of Ulsan. [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] The prosecution, investigating allegations of Blue House ordered investigations and interference in the Ulsan mayoral election, has requested arrest warrants on bribery charges against a key figure in Song Cheol-ho's Ulsan mayoral election campaign.

The Public Investigation Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Kim Tae-eun) on the 27th requested an arrest warrant for Kim Mo (65), a former head of the election campaign headquarters of Mayor Song's campaign and current standing advisor of the Democratic Party's Ulsan City Party, on charges including prior bribery acceptance.

The prosecution also requested an arrest warrant for Jang Mo (62), CEO of used car dealership company W in Ulsan, on charges of providing bribes to Mayor Song's side through Kim.

Article 129, Paragraph 2 of the Criminal Act defines the crime of prior bribery acceptance as when a person who is to become a public official receives, demands, or promises a bribe in connection with their duties before becoming a public official.

Since Kim is currently not a public official, the prosecution appears to have applied the charge of prior bribery acceptance, judging Kim as an accomplice, after confirming circumstances that the money and goods given by Jang to Kim flowed to Mayor Song's side personnel (public officials) who participated in city administration after the local election.

According to the prosecution, Kim is suspected of receiving tens of millions of won in money and goods from Jang in 2018 during the local election, along with a request to facilitate the used car sales business.

Kim participated in the 'Gongeoptap Planning Committee' formed by Mayor Song's personnel in August 2017 in preparation for the local election and served as the head of the election campaign headquarters during the local election.

The prosecution reportedly detected evidence of Kim's bribery while reviewing the overall operation of the campaign based on the work notebooks of Song Byeong-gi, former Ulsan Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs and a close aide of Mayor Song.

After Kim and Jang repeatedly refused summons, the prosecution arrested them around 5:30 p.m. on the 25th, investigated them for two days, and requested arrest warrants this afternoon.

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