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🇰🇷 South Korea /Elections & Politics

Parliamentary Inquiry Focuses on Ssangbangul Case, Allegations of Fabricated Indictments Surface

From Hankyoreh · (4m ago) Korean Critical tone

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • The Ssangbangul North Korea remittance case has become a central issue in parliamentary conflict, with the Democratic Party leading an investigation into alleged "fabricated indictments" by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration.
  • The case involves allegations that Gyeonggi Province's promised smart farm support funds and former Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung's visit to North Korea expenses were paid by Ssangbangul.
  • The Democratic Party plans to pursue a special prosecutor for "fabricated indictments," while the People Power Party criticizes the investigation as an attempt to nullify the charges against Lee Jae-myung.

The Hankyoreh reports on the escalating political battle surrounding the Ssangbangul North Korea remittance case, which has moved from the prosecution's investigation to the National Assembly. The Democratic Party has initiated a parliamentary inquiry into alleged "fabricated indictments" by the current administration, focusing on this case as the most politically and judicially impactful among seven investigated matters.

We must thoroughly investigate the reality of fabricated indictments.

— Han Byung-doDemocratic Party Floor Leader Han Byung-do announced plans for a special prosecutor investigation into alleged fabricated indictments.

The core of the allegations centers on Gyeonggi Province's pledged smart farm support funds and former Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung's visit to North Korea expenses, which Ssangbangul is accused of paying to North Korean officials. While the Democratic Party claims the prosecution targeted Lee Jae-myung and fabricated evidence, the People Power Party argues the inquiry is a ploy to dismiss charges against Lee, whose trial was suspended after his election.

We need testimony that Lee Hwa-young can maintain in court, and a confession that Lee Jae-myung is the principal offender and he is an accomplice, for us to offer leniency.

— Prosecutor Park Sang-yongA leaked phone recording allegedly shows Prosecutor Park Sang-yong discussing 'sentence bargaining' with Lee Hwa-young's lawyer.

Hankoreh highlights key controversies raised during the inquiry, including alleged "sentence bargaining" and "coercion of testimony" based on a leaked phone conversation between a lawyer for former Vice Governor Lee Hwa-young and a prosecutor. The article also details allegations of "salmon and alcohol parties" within the prosecutor's office to elicit false confessions, and disputes over whether Ssangbangul provided funds to a North Korean operative named Ri Ho-nam. Furthermore, suspicions are raised about the National Intelligence Service selectively submitting documents to the prosecution, potentially hindering the investigation into the case's true motives, such as stock price manipulation rather than supporting Lee Jae-myung's visit to North Korea.

If you insist on denial, we will seek a sentence of over 10 years.

— Prosecutor Park Sang-yongA leaked phone recording allegedly shows Prosecutor Park Sang-yong discussing 'sentence bargaining' with Lee Hwa-young's lawyer.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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