Former Vice Mayor Song Byeong-gi, Suspected of Election Interference, Recalled by Prosecutors After 5 Months

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Song Byung-gi, former Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs of Ulsan City (58), who is on trial for allegations of Blue House-ordered investigations and election interference, appeared again before the prosecution after five months.

The Public Investigation Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Kim Tae-eun) summoned former Deputy Mayor Song around 10 a.m. on the 11th for investigation as a suspect in violation of the Public Official Election Act.

Former Deputy Mayor Song was indicted without detention on January 29 on charges of improperly interfering in the 2018 local elections by requesting the Blue House's Office of Civil Affairs to conduct ordered investigations related to corruption allegations involving close aides of former Mayor Kim Ki-hyun, who was a rival of current Ulsan Mayor Song Cheol-ho.

He is also on trial for requesting the Blue House's Office of Balanced National Development to postpone the announcement of the preliminary feasibility study for the industrial accident hospital project, a key pledge of then-Mayor Kim Ki-hyun, and for leaking internal Ulsan City Hall documents to be used in Mayor Song's election campaign.

The prosecution, which has indicted 13 people including former Deputy Mayor Song and current Mayor Song Cheol-ho, resumed the remaining investigations after the April 15 general election and expanded the investigation to include allegations of recruitment corruption in public institutions in the Ulsan area and bribery allegations against Mayor Song.

The prosecution has been requesting former Deputy Mayor Song's appearance, stating that additional investigation is necessary regarding his violation of the Public Official Election Act.

At the second pretrial hearing for defendants in the Ulsan election interference case on the 29th of last month, the prosecution stated, "In the case of former Deputy Mayor Song Byung-gi, besides the indicted case, he is a suspect in other related cases, but despite requests for his appearance since the 11th, he has not complied or answered phone calls."

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