Prosecutors Indict Lee Jin-seok, Blue House Chief of Staff, for Interfering in Ulsan Mayoral Election
[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] The prosecution investigating allegations of the Blue House's interference in the Ulsan mayoral election has indicted Lee Jin-seok, head of the Blue House's National Situation Room, without detention. Other Blue House officials were not indicted due to insufficient evidence.
On the 9th, the Public Investigation Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Kwon Sang-dae) indicted three individuals without detention on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act: Lee, former Ulsan Deputy Mayor Song Byung-gi, and public official Yoon Mo.
Lee, who served as the Blue House Social Policy Secretary, is suspected of intervening to delay the announcement of the preliminary feasibility study for the Industrial Accident Mother Hospital, a key campaign pledge of Kim Ki-hyun, then mayor of Ulsan (now a member of the People Power Party), who was seeking re-election in the 2018 local elections.
It was confirmed that Song Cheol-ho, mayor of Ulsan, during his candidacy in October 2017, met with former Senior Administrative Officer Jang Hwan-seok of the Balanced Development Secretariat and Lee, among others, to request a postponement of the announcement of the preliminary feasibility study for the Industrial Accident Mother Hospital project.
Hot Picks Today
Taking Annual Leave and Adding "Strike" to Profiles, "It Feels Like Samsung Has Collapsed"... Unsettled Internal Atmosphere
- There Is a Distinct Age When Physical Abilities Decline Rapidly... From What Age Do Strength and Endurance Drop?
- President Lee: "Both Those Who Request and Carry Out Private Retaliation Are Committing Serious Crimes"
- "After Vowing to Become No. 1 Globally, Sudden Policy Brake Puts Companies’ Massive Investments at Risk"
- On Teacher's Day, a Student's Gifted Cake Had to Be Cut into 32 Pieces... Why?
The prosecution dismissed or dropped charges against other suspects, including former Presidential Chief of Staff Im Jong-seok and Blue House Civil Affairs Secretary Lee Kwang-cheol, citing a lack of clear evidence to prove the allegations. Previously, the prosecution had summoned and investigated former Chief of Staff Im in January last year. Additionally, cases such as the allegation that Mayor Song's camp received bribes from a used car dealership owner during the 2018 local elections were transferred to the Ulsan District Prosecutors' Office because many involved parties reside in Ulsan.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
