Ruling and Opposition Parties Clash Over North Korea Remittance Allegations... Lenient Prosecution vs. Diversion Tactics

The Democratic Party of Korea on the 30th claimed that the prosecution engaged in a 'lenient indictment' not only regarding the allegations of North Korea remittances involving former Ssangbangwool Chairman Kim Seong-tae but also concerning stock manipulation suspicions. They publicly disclosed the names of four individuals, including Hong Seung-wook, the head of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, and the prosecutors in charge of the related case. The People Power Party criticized this, accusing the Democratic Party of making a 'diversion' by alleging a 'Ssangbangwool-Pro-Yoon legal cartel.'

The Democratic Party's Committee for Countermeasures Against Prosecutorial Dictatorship and Political Oppression issued a statement asserting, "An analysis of the indictment against former Chairman Kim Seong-tae revealed that the prosecution consistently showed leniency not only on charges of violating the National Security Act and the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes but also on stock manipulation allegations."

The committee pointed out, "The prosecution indicted former Chairman Kim under Article 178 of the Capital Market Act, alleging fraudulent unfair trading related to the issuance of convertible bonds by Ssangbangwool, Nanos, and Kwanglim. However, despite suspicions that Kim repeatedly engaged in stock manipulation to gain profits, they did not indict him on charges of market manipulation."

The committee questioned, "Why were some stock manipulation charges omitted from the indictment? Is it because if the reality of stock manipulation is revealed, the Ssangbangwool corruption case cannot be disguised as 'Gyeonggi Province's North Korea business expense payment'?"

They criticized the prosecution for conducting lenient and coaxing investigations against former Chairman Kim Seong-tae to suppress Lee Jae-myung, the party leader. In response, Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon issued a statement rebutting, "After pressuring former Gyeonggi Province Peace Deputy Governor Lee Hwa-young and failing, are they now changing targets to pressure Mr. Kim Seong-tae?" The Democratic Party retorted, "Is the Minister of Justice the vanguard of political attacks?"

Senior Spokesperson Kwon Chil-seung held a briefing at the National Assembly, stating, "Minister Han must immediately cease interference in the investigation."

Regarding rumors of an 'arrest warrant request in August' for party leader Lee Jae-myung, the party plans to thoroughly understand and respond if a consent motion for arrest is submitted. Secretary-General Jo Jeong-sik said at a press conference, "There are rumors about an arrest warrant request in August, but we do not know at this time," adding, "If it happens, isn't it based on forced and fabricated false statements by the prosecution?"

Meanwhile, on the 30th, the People Power Party criticized the Democratic Party for making a 'diversion' by alleging a 'Ssangbangwool-Pro-Yoon legal cartel' as suspicions against their party leader Lee Jae-myung concretized in the Ssangbangwool Group's North Korea remittance case. They particularly condemned the Democratic Party for collectively staging a sit-in protest at the prosecution and engaging in an 'organized gagging' of former Gyeonggi Province Peace Deputy Governor Lee Hwa-young.

Senior Spokesperson Yoo said, "If you ask any ordinary person passing by, 'Who is Ssangbangwool connected to?' 100 out of 100 would answer 'Lee Jae-myung,'" and pointed out, "Moreover, the Ssangbangwool Group's outside directors included many pro-Lee (pro-Lee Jae-myung) figures such as Lee Tae-hyung, who was the head of Lee Jae-myung's campaign legal support team, but the Democratic Party omitted this information and engaged in false agitation."

The People Power Party criticized the Democratic Party's Countermeasures Committee for publicly disclosing the names of four individuals, including Hong Seung-wook, head of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, and prosecutors in charge of investigating the Ssangbangwool Group's North Korea remittance allegations, while urging a swift investigation into the 'lenient investigation suspicions,' calling it "malicious targeting."

Senior Spokesperson Yoo said, "This is a serious act of judicial obstruction aimed at pressuring and interfering with the investigation and an act that destroys the rule of law," adding, "How many crimes must they have committed to resort to such actions?"

He further criticized, "'The Ssangbangwool North Korea remittance suspicion' is a criminal allegation that party leader Lee Jae-myung mobilized companies to deliver slush funds to our enemy, North Korea, to build political achievements," and said, "Instead of reflecting, the Democratic Party has engaged in organized gagging as former Gyeonggi Province Peace Deputy Governor Lee Hwa-young, a key figure in this case, shows signs of gradually confessing the truth."

Senior Spokesperson Yoo pointed out, "Members of the National Assembly, which is a constitutional institution, are collectively staging a sit-in protest at the prosecution, obstructing the legitimate progress of the investigation, and lining up to apply for special visits to Lee Hwa-young to exert pressure," adding, "This is judicial obstruction using the power of the main opposition party, and it is no different from the Democratic Party declaring itself a force that disrupts the rule of law."

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