Arrest Warrants Denied for Former Journalists Suspected of Money Transactions with Kim Man-bae

Arrest warrants for two former journalists accused of receiving bribes from private developer Kim Man-bae in the Daejang-dong development project have been dismissed.

Former Jo, a Central Daily editorial writer, is attending the pre-arrest suspect interrogation (warrant hearing). [Image source=Yonhap News]

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On the 15th, Judge Kim Seok-beom of the Seoul Central District Court, in charge of warrants, conducted a pre-arrest detention hearing for Seok (a former reporter of Hankyoreh Newspaper) and Cho (a former editorial writer of JoongAng Ilbo), who are charged with breach of trust and violation of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act. After the hearing, he dismissed the arrest warrants, stating, "Considering the evidence secured so far, it is difficult to conclude that the suspects are likely to destroy evidence or flee."

Earlier, the prosecution had requested arrest warrants, believing that the two had received several hundred million won from Kim in exchange for favorable coverage of the Daejang-dong development project.

In January of last year, the prosecution identified signs of media lobbying while tracing the flow of approximately 47 billion won in loans Kim borrowed from Cheonhwa-dongin No. 1.

The two explained that they borrowed money for apartment pre-sale payments or moving expenses due to personal friendships unrelated to their work.

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