DP releases recording over alleged prosecutorial pressure

Mar 30, 2026, 10:00 am

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Lawyer Seo Min-seok and Democratic Party lawmakers Jeon Yong-gi and Kim Dong-ah hold an emergency press briefing at the National Assembly on March 29, releasing recordings of a phone call with a prosecutor involved in the Ssangbangwool North Korea remittance case. / Song Eui-joo

South Korea’s Democratic Party released a recorded phone conversation on March 29, alleging that prosecutors pressured a suspect to provide testimony implicating President Lee Jae-myung as the main culprit in the so-called Ssangbangwool North Korea remittance case.

At an emergency press briefing at the National Assembly, lawmakers Jeon Yong-gi and Kim Dong-ah, along with attorney Seo Min-seok, disclosed a recording of a June 19, 2023 phone call between Seo and prosecutor Park Sang-yong, who was part of the investigation team.

According to the recording, the prosecutor allegedly said that a confession framing Lee as the “main offender” was necessary for the case to proceed, adding that cooperation could lead to favorable treatment such as bail or the absence of additional arrest warrants.

Seo claimed the remarks indicated that prosecutors had already designed a desired narrative and were attempting to pressure and persuade suspects, including former Gyeonggi Vice Governor Lee Hwa-young, to align with it.

However, Park denied the allegations in a statement posted on social media, arguing that the recording had been selectively edited to misrepresent his position. He said the conversation was part of explaining general conditions for leniency after Seo proposed treating the case as a lesser bribery offense.

The Democratic Party also announced plans to launch a full parliamentary investigation into alleged prosecutorial misconduct under the previous administration of Yoon Suk Yeol.

A special committee will begin with an institutional report on April 3, followed by an on-site inspection of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office on April 9, where related allegations have been raised. A parliamentary hearing on the North Korea remittance case is scheduled for April 14.

The controversy is expected to intensify political tensions as rival parties clash over claims of prosecutorial bias and manipulation in high-profile investigations.

#Lee Jae-myung #Ssangbangwool case #North Korea remittance #Democratic Party #prosecution