"Namuk, 'Lifeline' Cash Amount and Date Memo Instructions" Testimony from Namuk's Close Associate

Lee Mo, a close aide of Nam Wook, a private developer of Daejang-dong and director of Cheonhwa-dongin No. 4, testified that he delivered several hundred million won to Jeong Min-yong under Nam's instructions and left a memo recording the amount and timing.

Lawyer Nam Wook
[Photo by Yonhap News]

On the 30th, the Criminal Division 23 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Jo Byung-gu) held a continued trial on the charges of illegal presidential election fund receipt against Kim Yong, former deputy director of the Democratic Research Institute and a close aide of Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea.

Lee appeared in court that day and testified about the circumstances of delivering the money and leaving the memo. He said, "In September 2021, when CEO Nam Wook was abroad in the United States, he contacted me and told me to 'make a memo of the cash dates and amounts delivered to Jeong Min-yong from April to August, and how the funds were adjusted,' so I wrote it."

When the prosecution asked, "Is it true that Nam Wook said, 'Because this is my lifeline, write down the cash amounts and dates'?" Lee replied, "Yes," and explained, "Nam used the expression 'my lifeline,' and since my last name is Lee, I titled it 'Lee list' and also wrote 'golf' in parentheses to make it look like cash was not exchanged."

The memo titled 'Lee list (golf)' records that a total of 843 million won was handed over in four installments. Lee, a close aide of Nam, played the role of meeting Jeong several times from April to August 2021 to deliver funds. He submitted the memo containing the timing of the money delivery to the prosecution.

Lee said, "The total is 847 million won, but there was a typo," and stated, "(Nam) called and told me to give the money in the safe to Jeong Min-yong," adding, "I opened the office safe, took out a shopping bag containing cash, and gave it to Jeong." He also recalled, "I remember saying, 'This box fits exactly 100 million won,' because the 100 million won was packed in a box that fit perfectly," and added, "Jeong took the money in his backpack."

On the 21st, Jeong, who appeared as a witness, testified that when he received the money from Lee, the 100 million won in cash was in a paper box inside a nutritional supplement shopping bag, and Lee joked, "It's medicine." On that day, Lee also said, "(The joke) is true. Since the cash was in a shopping bag, it implied it was not cash. It was a shopping bag of medicine that Nam Wook frequently takes."

When Kim's former deputy director's lawyer asked, "Was it Yoo Dong-gyu or Kim Yong who received the money?" Lee replied, "Yoo Dong-gyu said he was giving it, saying 'the camp needs it,'" and added, "(Nam) said, 'Do you think money falls from the sky?' or something like that."

Kim, the former deputy director, was indicted in November last year while in custody on charges of conspiring with former head Yoo and lawyer Jeong to receive 847 million won from Nam in four installments as presidential election funds from April to August last year, around the time of the Democratic Party's presidential primary. He served as the overall deputy head of Lee's campaign, responsible for fundraising and organizational management.

In February 2021, Kim reportedly requested about 2 billion won for presidential election funds, saying he was "circulating around Gwangju," and according to the prosecution, Nam sent the money through Jeong and Yoo after receiving this request. The prosecution believes that among the money Nam handed over, Yoo spent 100 million won and failed to deliver 147 million won, so the actual amount Kim received was 600 million won.

Former head Yoo, lawyer Nam Wook, and lawyer Jeong, excluding Kim, the former deputy director, have stated that they acknowledge the basic facts of the indictment.

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