Yoon Geon-young Cleared of 'Embezzlement Allegations'... Civic Group Appeals Claiming "Lenient Investigation"

Prosecutors Decide Not to Indict After Assessing Unpaid Wages and Repayments
Civic Group: "Shoddy Investigation with Fabricated Evidence... Appeal Should Be Accepted"

Yoon Geon-young, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee plenary meeting held at the National Assembly on the 28th. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] Amid the prosecution's decision to dismiss charges regarding allegations that Yoon Geon-young, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, received personnel expenses and loan repayments through a nominee account while working at the Korea Future Development Institute, a civic group has called for a reinvestigation.

The civic group, Action Alliance for Upholding the Rule of Law (Beopse-ryeon), submitted an appeal containing these details to the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office on the morning of the 14th.

Earlier, the prosecution reportedly decided not to indict Yoon due to insufficient evidence. Yoon was suspected of transferring approximately 22.9 million KRW of Future Development Institute funds held in a bank account under an employee's name to his own account and using it for personal purposes while serving as the Planning Director of the institute from June to December 2011.

The prosecution judged that Yoon repaid unpaid personnel expenses and loans from the institute and found no evidence to consider the funds embezzlement.

Regarding this, Beopse-ryeon stated, "Mr. A, who managed the institute's funds, testified during the prosecution investigation that he heard from a phone call with another employee, Mr. B, that 'Yoon said he would not receive personnel expenses when he joined the institute.'" They added, "It is unjust to conclude that the money Yoon received through the nominee account was personnel expenses without investigating whether the money was received for other purposes."

They continued, "Yoon claims he received money through the nominee account to repay personnel expenses and loans, but it is very important to know where that money was used," adding, "If the money received under the name of personnel expenses was used as election funds for Moon Jae-in, then a National Assembly candidate at the time in 2012, it clearly constitutes embezzlement of the institute's funds for election purposes, which is a breach of trust embezzlement."

Finally, Beopse-ryeon said, "The investigation team handling this case can only be seen as conducting a sloppy and fabricated investigation to protect Yoon from the beginning," and added, "For the sake of the people, the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office should accept this appeal and decide to reinvestigate to punish corruption among those in power."

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