Prosecutors Notify Assemblyman Lee Seong-man to Appear on 16th Over 'Money Envelope Allegation'... Lee Says "I Have Standing Committee Schedule"

The prosecution investigating the Democratic Party of Korea's '2021 Party Convention Money Envelope Suspicion' has notified Assemblyman Lee Seong-man to appear on the 16th. However, the assemblyman requested a postponement citing National Assembly schedules.

Lee Seong-man, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea who expressed his intention to leave the party amid allegations of "2021 party convention money envelopes," is attending a members' meeting held at the National Assembly on the 3rd. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

According to the legal community on the 15th, the Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Kim Young-cheol) demanded that Assemblyman Lee appear as a suspect on the 16th.

However, Assemblyman Lee reportedly expressed that he could not attend due to schedules such as the National Assembly standing committee meetings and insisted that the investigation schedule be postponed. On the morning of the 16th, a full meeting of the National Assembly's Administrative Safety Committee, to which the assemblyman belongs, is scheduled to be held.

The prosecution believes that Assemblyman Lee was involved in the distribution of 94 million won in money envelopes within the party to support former party leader Song Young-gil's election ahead of the May 2021 party convention. The search warrant also states that in March 2021, Assemblyman Lee conspired with Kang Rae-gu, former Standing Auditor of Korea Water Resources Corporation, and Cho Taek-sang, former Deputy Mayor for Political Affairs of Incheon City, to receive a political donation of 10 million won delivered to the regional headquarters chief.

The so-called 'Lee Jeong-geun recording file' is also known to contain circumstances indicating money exchanges between Assemblyman Lee and former Democratic Party Deputy Secretary-General Lee Jeong-geun. In the file, Assemblyman Lee reportedly says to the former deputy secretary-general, "Money, can I give it to you tomorrow? I will come at 10 a.m." It is also reported to include a part where the former deputy secretary-general says to Assemblyman Lee after the party convention, "You worked hard. Come to our team. For collecting and delivering the money."

There is also a part presumed to show that Assemblyman Lee shared the money envelope delivery situation with former leader Song. While discussing the method of delivering the money envelopes with the former deputy secretary-general, Assemblyman Lee says, "I talked about it when Song (Young-gil) was around."

The prosecution, emphasizing the need for a swift investigation due to concerns over collusion and evidence destruction, is expected to reschedule the investigation with Assemblyman Lee's side as soon as possible.

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