Seoul: On Wednesday, the Ministry of Justice revealed that food and alcohol were allegedly provided during questioning related to the case of Lee Hwa-young, the former deputy governor of Gyeonggi. Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho has ordered an internal inspection to investigate these claims further.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the suspicions originated in 2023, when the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office was investigating a North Korea remittance scandal involving the underwear company Ssangbangwool. Allegations emerged that prosecutors had introduced food and alcohol to pressure Lee and others involved in the case. Initially dismissed by the office, the conclusion has shifted with the change in administration.
The Ministry's statement detailed that on May 17, 2023, Lee and former Ssangbangwool chairman Kim Sung-tae consumed salmon rice bowls and sushi during an interrogation at the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, with prosecutor Park Sang-yong present. Kim and others allegedly drank soju from paper cups, and food deliveries for Kim were reportedly frequent, lending credibility to the allegations.
If verified, these revelations could be significant, as the notion of prosecutors using alcohol to influence testimony challenges the justice system's integrity. Prosecutor Park has strongly denied these accusations, highlighting the need for thorough fact-finding. Previous controversies have raised questions about potential prosecutorial pressure on suspects, underscoring the necessity for institutional safeguards to ensure transparency in investigations.
The controversy should not be politicized. The North Korea remittance scandal involves accusations that Ssangbangwool paid $5 million promised by Gyeonggi for a smart farm project in the North and $3 million for then-Gov. Lee Jae Myung's planned visit to Pyongyang. Lee Hwa-young, convicted of receiving bribes and facilitating the payments, was sentenced to over seven years in prison by the Supreme Court. The unresolved issue is whether President Lee was aware of the transfers, as he has also been indicted, but his trial remains postponed since the presidential election.
In June, Lee Hwa-young sought support for a pardon through Facebook, which drew criticism. His lawyers intend to seek a retrial based on the alcohol allegations. Democratic Party lawmakers claim that President Lee was unjustly indicted due to prosecutorial manipulation and demand a dismissal of the charges. While the persuasion allegations warrant thorough investigation, the broader remittance case should be evaluated based solely on its facts.