Ex-Gyeonggi vice governor to be sentenced over N. Korean cash transfer allegations

Jun 07, 2024, 10:29 am

AsiaToday reporter Kim Hyung-joon

Lee Hwa-young, former vice governor of Gyeonggi Province, who was put on trial over allegations of accepting substantial bribes from Ssangbangul Group and involvement in an unauthorized remittance case to North Korea, will be sentenced on Tuesday. It is the first time in a year and eight months since the prosecution’s first indictment in October 2022. The court ruling is expected to determine the direction of the prosecution’s investigation into Lee Jae-myung, head of the main opposition Democratic Party.

The Suwon District Court’s Criminal Division 11 will hold a sentencing hearing on Friday at 2 p.m. against former deputy governor Lee Hwa-young, who is suspected of bribery and violations of the Foreign Exchange Transaction Act, the Political Fund Act, and the Act on Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, and destroying evidence. At the final hearing back in April, prosecutors requested the Suwon District Court sentence Lee to 15 years in prison.

Lee is accused of having Kim Sung-tae, former chairman of Ssangbangul, pay North Korean officials for a smart farm project and $3 million for the expenses of the then governor, now Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, during his visit to North Korea in 2019.

The prosecution believes that former deputy governor Lee at least reported the details of the payment to Lee Jae-myung and may have intervened deeply.

If the first trial court finds former deputy governor Lee guilty of remittance to North Korea, the prosecution’s investigation into Lee Jae-myung is also expected to accelerate. If Lee, who is already on trial for violating the Public Official Election Act as well as involving in the Daejang-dong and Seongnam FC case, is additionally indicted as an accomplice in remittance to North Korea, a political blow would be inevitable.

Meanwhile, former deputy governor Lee is also accused of receiving illegal political funds and bribes worth 300 million won. He denied most of the allegations.

#North Korean cash transfer #Lee Hwa-young #Lee Jae-myung #prosecution