Prosecution Detains Chief Jeong Jin-sang... Investigation into Representative Lee Jae-myung Expected to Gain Momentum

Court: "Risk of Evidence Destruction and Flight"
Democratic Party's 'Opposition Suppression' Claim Loses Credibility

Jin Sang Jeong, Chief of Political Coordination, Office of the Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin, legal affairs specialist] The prosecution has arrested Jeong Jin-sang, the Political Coordination Officer of the Democratic Party of Korea's Representative Office, on charges including bribery.

Following Kim Yong, Deputy Director of the Democratic Research Institute (arrested and indicted), whom Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung himself acknowledged as a close aide, the arrest of Jeong, known as Lee's 'right-hand man,' on charges of receiving money from the Daejang-dong group has given the prosecution momentum to investigate Lee.

On the 18th, Seoul Central District Court Judge Kim Se-yong, in charge of warrants, conducted a pre-arrest suspect interrogation (warrant review) for Jeong and issued an arrest warrant around 2:50 a.m. on the 19th.

Judge Kim stated the reason for issuing the warrant as "concerns over evidence destruction and flight risk."

The warrant review for Jeong, which began at 2 p.m. that day, lasted 8 hours and 10 minutes until 10:10 p.m.

Since Jeong's detention is a turning point that could determine the success or failure of this investigation, both the prosecution and Jeong's side appeared to have devoted full efforts to explaining and defending the criminal charges and the necessity of detention.

The prosecution presented the criminal charges against Jeong and the necessity of detention through a presentation lasting about three hours from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. In particular, the prosecution reportedly submitted numerous pieces of physical evidence along with testimonies from former Seongnam Urban Development Corporation Planning Director Yoo Dong-gyu and Daejang-dong private businessman lawyer Nam Wook regarding the bribery delivery process.

Afterward, Jeong's side reportedly began refuting the prosecution's claims point by point from around 5 p.m. Jeong's side also submitted a rebuttal statement of about 100 pages to the court.

After the warrant review, Jeong told the waiting press, "I participated sincerely," adding, "Despite any oppression, history and democracy will progress. Our people will continue to move forward."

Lee Geon-tae, Jeong's defense attorney, along with Democratic Party lawmakers Kim Ui-gyeom and Park Chan-dae, held a press conference in front of the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office after the warrant review, criticizing the prosecution's investigation as relying on testimonies.

Jeong, a close aide of Lee, is accused of receiving 140 million won in six installments from the Daejang-dong group between February 2013 and October 2020, and, together with Kim Yong, Deputy Director of the Democratic Research Institute, and former Planning Director Yoo, promised to share approximately 42.8 billion won in Daejang-dong development profits with Kim Man-bae, major shareholder of Hwacheon Daeyu, in exchange for the selection of the Daejang-dong development project operator.

He is also accused of leaking internal secrets of Seongnam City and Seongnam Urban Development Corporation to private businessmen such as lawyer Nam from July 2013 to March 2017, enabling them to be selected as operators for the Wirye New Town development project, allowing Hoban Construction to implement and construct the project, thereby obtaining development profits worth about 21 billion won. Additionally, he is charged with instructing former Planning Director Yoo to throw his mobile phone out the window as a search by the prosecution approached on September 29 last year.

The Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 1 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Eom Hee-jun), which summoned Jeong for investigation on the 15th, requested an arrest warrant on the 16th on charges including bribery under the Specific Crimes Aggravated Punishment Act, acceptance of bribes after improper conduct, violation of the Anti-Corruption Act, and obstruction of evidence.

Having secured Jeong's custody, the prosecution is expected to soon launch a full-scale investigation into Lee.

Until now, the Democratic Party, which had actively defended Lee and others by labeling the investigation as 'opposition party suppression,' and Lee himself, who emphasized the innocence of Jeong and others by calling it a 'prosecutor's fictional novel,' will find their claims increasingly unconvincing.

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