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Lee Jung-geun, former vice secretary general of the Democratic Party of Korea, who also ran for the National Assembly and the mayor election, was arrested last night.
He is accused of receiving 1 billion won from a businessman in the name of helping with government subsidies or business licenses.
Prosecutors suspect that former Vice-Chancellor Lee has been promoting his acquaintance with high-ranking opposition figures, and it is noteworthy whether the prosecution’s investigation will extend to them.
Reporter Son Gu-min reports.
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Former Vice-Secretary General Lee Jeong-geun of the Democratic Party of Korea, who was reviewing the arrest warrant, complained that it was unfair, but was eventually arrested and imprisoned.
[이정근 (어제, 서울중앙지법)]
“I will reveal my regrets well.”
Former Vice-Chancellor Lee is accused of receiving 1.10 billion won from a businessman, Mr. Park, in exchange for various solicitations or election expenses.
Former Vice-Chancellor Lee claimed that “I borrowed money and paid it back when I needed it urgently,” but the court also acknowledged that the money was questionable.
Even if it is known that former Vice-Chancellor Lee received money, it is not one or two cases, such as permission of a mask, delivery of a mask to public institutions, allocation of public funds, and solicitation of personnel from public companies.
Prosecutors, who succeeded in securing new recruits for former Vice-Chancellor Lee, plan to check whether this money has flowed to other personnel in the name of solicitation.
The businessman, Mr. Park, who handed the money, claimed that former Vice-Chancellor Lee had shown off his close ties with former Blue House officials.
It was a meeting with Democratic Party officials and criticizing former Vice-Chancellor Lee’s behavior.
[박모씨]
“I get promoted to KEPCO through OOO (People from the Blue House), and OOO even sent me KakaoTalk messages.”
Park also claimed that former Vice-Secretary-General Lee received money in the name of funds for an intra-party primary of a multi-elected Democratic Party lawmaker.
[박모씨]
“I said I’ll make the top committee and took 100 million… Lee Jung-geun is there OOO XXX △△△ I’ll probably do a portrait book for now…”
If it is confirmed that former Vice-Chancellor Lee handed money to another person with a request, the prosecution’s investigation is expected to branch out towards other figures in the opposition.
This is Gumin Son from MBC News.
Video coverage: Kim Doo-young / Video editing: Lee Ji-young
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