When the Fake Fisheries Businessman's 'Indiscriminate Lobbying' Prompts the Corruption Investigation Office to Act

Former Chairman and Chief Prosecutor of Prestigious Private University
Evidence Found of Arranging Golf Entertainment
Dinner Joined... Crab and More Served
Possible Bribery Charges
Public Corruption Investigation Office Announces Additional Investigator Recruitment
May Create Turning Point to Overcome Sluggishness

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The lobbying activities of a self-proclaimed "fisheries businessman" Kim Mo (43), targeting political figures and high-ranking public officials, are becoming more concrete. Evidence has even been found of arranging golf entertainment sessions. Suspicions persist that at least 11 individuals, including prosecutors, police executives, and current and former members of the National Assembly, are directly or indirectly involved in Kim's activities.

The call for the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency (Gong-su-cheo) to step in is expected to grow louder. It is anticipated that civic groups will soon file successive complaints. At this point, the so-called "Fisheries Businessman Gate" has become an unavoidable challenge and a "fate" for Gong-su-cheo.

According to police and legal circles on the 9th, the Violent Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, which is investigating Kim on charges including fraud and embezzlement, confirmed that former chairman A of a famous private university in Seoul and chief prosecutor B held a golf meeting on August 15 last year, arranged by Kim, followed by dinner. Kim is also known to have joined the dinner. At this gathering, he provided seafood such as snow crab to A, B, and others. They met again at the same restaurant on October 31 last year. It is reported that most of the expenses were paid by A. This was entertainment for chief prosecutor B.

The police believe that these frequent meetings were held to seek help from B after 12 billion KRW of the private university's funds managed by A were invested in the Optimus fund and faced the risk of total loss due to redemption suspension. If this is true, bribery charges could also be applied.

The prosecution and legal circles are closely monitoring the police investigation, considering the possibility that entertainment meetings like those involving A and B occurred multiple times through Kim. It is a reasonable assumption that "Kim arranged the meetings and flaunted his connections."

If additional information emerges about meetings involving political figures and high-ranking public officials, Gong-su-cheo's involvement will be inevitable. Gong-su-cheo can receive cases from the police if it confirms the involvement of high-ranking officials. This means that if there is the will to investigate, Gong-su-cheo can fully proceed with the investigation.

Whether Gong-su-cheo currently has the capacity to investigate is also an issue, but this is expected to be resolved soon. Gong-su-cheo plans to announce a recruitment notice for additional investigators in the second half of the year this afternoon. On the 6th, it newly recruited 20 police investigators. Starting from the 15th, it will recruit 2 chief prosecutors and 8 ordinary prosecutors. Currently operating with 13 prosecutors (2 chief prosecutors, 11 ordinary prosecutors), Gong-su-cheo is expected to fill all 23 positions, excluding the head and deputy head, by next month when this recruitment concludes.

Once the investigation begins, Gong-su-cheo is likely to commit fully. Since its launch, Gong-su-cheo has not shown clear results, and the "Fisheries Businessman Gate" could be an opportunity to create a turning point.

Gong-su-cheo has been criticized for sluggish investigations into high-profile cases that have attracted significant public interest, such as the unfair special hiring allegations involving Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon, designated as its first case, and the obstruction of investigation allegations against former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, raising doubts about its founding purpose and function.

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