Former Democratic Party Leader Song Young-gil Arrested for National Convention Money Envelope Distribution: Latest Updates and Analysis

2023-12-18 15:11:15

Song Young-gil, former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, was arrested on the 18th for the ‘National Convention money envelope distribution incident’.

Song Young-gil, former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea./Newsis

Seoul Central District Court Chief Judge Yoo Chang-hoon, in charge of warrants, conducted a substantive examination once morest former leader Song and said at 11:59 p.m. on the same day, “It is clear that he received a large amount of illegal political funds and was partially involved in receiving bribes related to the party leadership primary.” The arrest warrant was issued, saying, “The case is serious,” and “There are concerns regarding the destruction of evidence in light of the suspect’s actions identified during the investigation regarding personal and material evidence.” In the legal world, there is a prediction that “the prosecution will further investigate former Representative Song while he is in custody and then expand the investigation to lawmakers suspected of receiving money envelopes.”

It was discovered that the money envelope distribution incident occurred ahead of the national convention on May 2, 2021, when former Representative Song was elected as the representative of the Democratic Party. Prosecutors view former CEO Song as the pinnacle of this case. Former Representative Song is accused of providing 20 envelopes of money, a total of 60 million won, to Rep. Yoon Kwan-seok on April 27 and 28 of that year. It is said that Rep. Yoon then delivered envelopes of money to Democratic Party lawmakers. In addition, former leader Song is also accused of providing 6.5 million won to regional heads of the party’s primary election camp on March 30 and April 11 of the same year. So far, former CEO Song has denied all charges.

It was found that Representatives Yoon Kwan-seok and Lee Seong-man, Lee Jeong-geun (former Vice Secretary General of the Democratic Party), Park Yong-soo (former aide to former President Song), and Kang Rae-gu (former standing auditor of the Korea Water Resources Corporation) participated in the money envelope distribution process. On this day, the prosecution requested five and three years in prison for Rep. Yoon and Mr. Kang, respectively, in the first trial.

In addition, former CEO Song is accused of receiving 763 million won in illegal political funds through the ‘Institute for Peace and Living Issues’, an outlying organization, from January 2020 to December 2021, and former Yeosu Commerce and Industry Park Yong-ha from July to August 2021. He is also suspected of receiving a bribe of 40 million won from the chairman of the chamber along with a request for an incineration treatment facility.

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