Two-Track Investigation into Kim Bong-hyun Lobbying Allegations... Only Summoning of Lobbying Targets Remains

Detailed Investigation into Kim Bong-hyun's Three Instances of Hospitality
Multiple Searches Conducted on Related Persons and Locations

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] The 'lobbying allegations' investigation, which began with the revelations of former Star Mobility Chairman Kim Bong-hyun (46, detained and indicted), is divided into two main branches. One involves allegations that Kim entertained current prosecutors with alcohol to seek exoneration from Lime Asset Management, and the other concerns allegations that several hundred million won were paid to political and business figures related to the resumption of the Lime fund. Both are currently under the prosecution's investigation. The prosecution has conducted raids on multiple locations where suspicions were raised and summoned related parties, including Kim. The internal assessment within the prosecution is that only the summoning of individuals identified as recipients of the lobbying remains.

First, the allegations of entertainment and hospitality towards prosecutors are being investigated by a dedicated team at the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office. The investigation team consists of five prosecutors: four from the Financial Investigation Division and one from the Criminal Division 4. The investigation is led by Kim Rak-hyun, head of the Criminal Division 6. On the 4th, the team summoned former Chairman Kim for a high-intensity face-to-face interrogation lasting 6 hours and 40 minutes. It is reported that the prosecution questioned Kim about specific dates when he entertained Lawyer A and the prosecutors at a room salon.

The dates of the entertainment are considered the key to the investigation. The team is cross-referencing the whereabouts of Lawyer A and the prosecutors Kim identified. Previously, as a preliminary step, the investigation team raided the offices of Lawyer A and two prosecutors suspected of being entertained, securing mobile phones and other items. Based on the dates identified through Kim, the team is expected to verify the location records of Lawyer A and the prosecutors on those days and then proceed to summon and interrogate them.

The lobbying allegations involving political and business circles are being investigated by the Criminal Division 6 of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office. There are suspicions that former Lime Vice President Lee Jong-pil lobbied Son Tae-seung, then president of Woori Bank and current chairman of Woori Financial Group, through Yoon Gap-geun, chairman of the People Power Party's Chungbuk Provincial Party Committee and a lawyer, to resume sales of the Lime fund. In a letter from prison, former Chairman Kim claimed that after paying several hundred million won to Yoon Gap-geun, a lawyer and influential opposition politician who was a former chief prosecutor, lobbying was conducted targeting the president and vice president of Woori Bank, but the prosecution's investigation did not proceed properly.

The prosecution's raid on the offices and residence of Chairman Yoon and the chairman's office of Woori Financial Group on the 4th is interpreted as a measure to verify these allegations. Prior to this, the prosecution had obtained warrants for communications and bank accounts related to Chairman Yoon and others and had been conducting tracking. Once the analysis of the seized materials is complete, the prosecution plans to summon and interrogate Chairman Yoon and Chairman Son in sequence.

However, the prosecution has not yet initiated compulsory investigation procedures regarding another lobbying allegation concerning a 'request to dismiss an arrest warrant.' In his first and second letters from prison, Kim claimed that to suppress the police's request for an arrest warrant related to the Suwon Passenger Embezzlement case, he paid 50 million won to an acquaintance as a bribe to Yoon Dae-jin, then chief prosecutor of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, and that this was partially successful. A police official involved in the investigation of this case also testified that the arrest warrant request was indeed rejected by the prosecution.

Regarding this, the prosecution stated, "We are comprehensively reviewing all allegations raised by Kim Bong-hyun through the letters from prison," adding, "We cannot disclose whether investigations on specific matters are underway."

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