Police Decide Not to Prosecute Former Player Association Chairman Lee Dae-ho and Others in 'Expense Controversy'

Lee Dae-ho, former president of the Korea Professional Baseball Players Association.
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] It has been confirmed that the police decided not to prosecute the case involving Lee Dae-ho (Lotte Giants), former president of the Korea Professional Baseball Players Association, who was reported by a civic group on charges including breach of trust.

According to the police on the 7th, the Seocho Police Station in Seoul decided on the 31st of last month not to prosecute all related suspects, including former president Lee, former secretary-general Kim Tae-hyun, and legal advisor Oh Dong-hyun, and closed the case.

A police official stated, "We contacted the accusers several times, but they continuously failed to appear at the police station, and since the criminal facts could not be specified, the investigation was closed."

According to the adjustment of investigative authority between the prosecution and police implemented since January this year, the police can close a case without sending it to the prosecution if they determine that there is no evidence of criminal charges.

Earlier, the sports civic group Saramgwa Undong (representative lawyer Park Ji-hoon) filed a complaint with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office on December 15 last year, raising suspicions that former president Lee, former secretary-general Kim, and lawyer Oh had fraudulently received salaries and operating expenses, and had conducted accounting audits for high fees.

It was revealed at the end of last year that former president Lee Dae-ho had deposited the increased operating expenses, raised from the existing 24 million won to 60 million won, into his personal account, sparking controversy. Lee took responsibility and resigned from the presidency, and former secretary-general Kim was dismissed.

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