‘Presidential Election Public Opinion Manipulation False Interview’ Kim Man-bae and Shin Hak-rim Appear for Warrant Hearing

Kim Man-bae, the major shareholder of Hwacheon Daeyu Asset Management, and Shin Hak-rim, former chairman of the Korean Federation of Journalists' Unions, who are suspected of conducting false interviews and exchanging money during the 20th presidential election, are at a crossroads regarding detention.

Kim Man-bae (left), the major shareholder of Hwacheon Daeyu Asset Management, who is accused of defaming President Yoon Seok-yeol through a false interview related to the Daejang-dong incident in the last presidential election, and Shin Hak-rim, former chairman of the Korean Federation of Journalists' Unions, are heading to the courtroom on the morning of the 20th at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, to attend the warrant hearing.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

At 10:10 a.m. on the same day, Kim Seok-beom, the chief judge in charge of warrants at the Seoul Central District Court, held a pre-arrest detention hearing (warrant substantive examination) for Kim and former chairman Shin and is currently reviewing the necessity of detention.

Kim, who appeared at the court around 9:47 a.m., did not respond to reporters' questions such as "Do you admit to defaming President Yoon Seok-yeol?" and "What is your position on the prosecution's judgment that you directly planned reports to interfere in the presidential election?" and headed straight to the courtroom.

However, prior to this, Kim told reporters at the prosecution office, "I will cooperate sincerely."

Former chairman Shin, who appeared at the court around 10:40 a.m. on the same day, shook his head in response to reporters' question, "Do you admit to defaming President Yoon?" When asked whether he had indeed committed extortion against Jeong Ki-hyun, former director of the National Medical Center, he said, "I do not admit it," and added, "I will reveal the truth in court."

The Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 1 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office filed pre-arrest warrants on the 17th against Kim and former chairman Shin on charges including receiving 165 million won as a bribe for false reporting related to the Busan Savings Bank investigation, disguising it as book payments (defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act, breach of trust, bribery, violation of the Anti-Graft Act, violation of the Act on the Regulation of Concealment of Criminal Proceeds, and extortion).

According to the prosecution, on September 15, 2021, Kim gave an interview with former chairman Shin, who was then a special advisor at Newstapa, claiming that "President Yoon Seok-yeol covered up the case of Jo Woo-hyung, a broker in the Daejang-dong loan case, while the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Central Investigation Department was investigating the Busan Savings Bank case." Newstapa reported this interview on March 6, 2022, three days before the presidential election.

It was confirmed that Kim handed over 165 million won to former chairman Shin on September 20, 2021, five days after the interview. Former chairman Shin's side claimed it was payment for books, but the prosecution believes the two exchanged money as compensation for the false interview.

The decision on whether to detain them is expected to be made as early as this afternoon.

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