The Protest Headquarters for the Dismissal of Sang-ik Lee, Hampyeong County Governor, Urges Indictment for Bribery and Arrest

Suspicion of 30 Million Won Bribery Involving County Governor's Spouse, Calls for Reinvestigation

Lee Sang-ik, the mayor of Hampyeong County, is facing difficulties as he pushes for the relocation of Gwangju Military Airport amid opposition from county residents. The residents are intensifying their criticism by linking the mayor’s judicial risks to their opposition against the airport relocation.

The Gwangju Combat Airfield Enforcement Lee Sang-ik Mayor Dismissal Struggle Headquarters (hereinafter referred to as the Struggle Headquarters) announced on the 24th that it held a press conference at 2 p.m. on the 21st at the Mokpo branch of the Gwangju District Prosecutors’ Office, demanding the immediate arrest and indictment of Lee Sang-ik, mayor of Hampyeong County, on bribery charges.

At the press conference, Kim Kwang-sik, co-representative of the Struggle Headquarters, stated, “It has been three years since the bribery allegations against Lee Sang-ik, mayor of Hampyeong County, became known,” and urged, “The Mokpo branch should not delay and immediately indict Mayor Lee Sang-ik.”

He added, “There is a strong possibility that the mayor will use his position to attempt to conceal his corruption charges, so arrest and indictment are appropriate.”

The Struggle Headquarters also demanded a reinvestigation by the prosecution into the 30 million won bribery suspicion case involving Lee Sang-ik’s spouse, Kim Mo.

Lee Haeng-seop, co-representative of the Struggle Headquarters, raised strong suspicions, saying, “Mr. A, who was charged with soliciting the delivery of a bribe to Mayor Lee Sang-ik’s spouse Kim Mo, has been indicted, but Kim Mo, who was identified as the recipient of the bribe, was cleared of charges.”

The prosecutor in charge of the Lee Sang-ik case reportedly refused the Struggle Headquarters’ request for a meeting.

The Struggle Headquarters plans to hold a “Hampyeong County Residents’ Rally Urging the Arrest and Indictment of Mayor Lee Sang-ik” in front of the Mokpo branch of the Gwangju District Prosecutors’ Office on the 28th.

Meanwhile, Lee Sang-ik, mayor of Hampyeong County, was summoned for police investigation on November 18, 2021, on charges of accepting a suit worth about 10 million won as a bribe. On December 20, 2022, the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crime Investigation Unit 1 of the Jeonnam Police Agency transferred Mayor Lee Sang-ik to the prosecution without detention on bribery charges.

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