Prosecutors Detain Jeong Jin-sang, Close Aide to Lee Jae-myung... Seongnam FC and Daejang-dong Allegations

Prosecutor's flag fluttering in the wind [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The prosecution investigating the 'Seongnam FC sponsorship fund allegations' has banned Jeong Jin-sang, chief political coordinator of the office of Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea and his closest aide, from leaving the country.

According to the legal community on the 24th, the Criminal Division 3 of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office Seongnam Branch (Chief Prosecutor Yoo Min-jong) recently imposed a travel ban on Jeong.

The Seongnam FC sponsorship fund allegations involve claims that when Lee was mayor of Seongnam, he acted as the club owner of Seongnam FC and secured approximately 5.5 billion KRW in advertising sponsorship funds from Doosan Construction between 2016 and 2018, and in return, the Doosan Group's 3,000-pyeong hospital site in Jeongja-dong, Bundang-gu, was rezoned for commercial use. The prosecution indicted the former head of Seongnam City's Strategic Promotion Team last month and stated in the indictment that Lee and Jeong were in a conspiratorial relationship.

Jeong is also reportedly under investigation by the Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 3 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Kang Baek-shin), which is probing illegal presidential election funds related to Kim Yong, deputy director of the Democratic Research Institute.

The prosecution has secured testimony from former Seongnam Urban Development Corporation Planning Director Yoo Dong-gyu and private developer lawyer Nam Wook, stating that "50 million KRW was given to Jeong in 2014," and is verifying related details. The year 2014 was when Lee was re-elected as mayor of Seongnam, and Jeong was serving as the policy director of Seongnam City at that time.

There are also allegations that in September 2013, Jeong received alcohol entertainment from former Director Yoo and lawyer Nam at a nightlife establishment in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. The prosecution is investigating the possibility that Jeong continuously received money and entertainment from private developers involved in the Wirye New Town and Daejang-dong developments.

In a media interview on the 21st, former Director Yoo claimed, "Jeong Jin-sang and I drank together 100 times, 1,000 times," adding, "You can cover the sky with your palm, but you cannot hide your actions."

Jeong is also suspected of instructing former Director Yoo to "dispose of his mobile phone" to destroy evidence just before the prosecution searched Yoo's residence on September 29 last year during the investigation into the Daejang-dong development corruption allegations.

When the prosecution attempted to enter Yoo's home, Yoo threw his mobile phone out of the 9th-floor window. Recently, Yoo changed his statement and testified to the prosecution that this was done under Jeong's instructions.

Jeong has denied these allegations, stating they are not true.

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