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Allegations of prosecutorial persuasion re-emerge under new administration

Published: 19 Sep. 2025, 00:00

Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho, left, speaks with Choi Dong-seok, minister of personnel management, during a Cabinet meeting at the government complex in Sejong on Sept. 16. [YONHAP]

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Justice said it found evidence that food and alcohol had been provided during questioning in connection with allegations that prosecutors attempted to sway testimony in the case of Lee Hwa-young, former deputy governor of Gyeonggi. Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho ordered an internal inspection.

The suspicions date back to 2023, when the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office was investigating a North Korea remittance scandal involving the underwear company Ssangbangwool. At the time, claims arose that prosecutors had brought food and alcohol into the interrogation room to pressure Lee and other figures tied to the case. The office dismissed the allegations as groundless. With the change in administration, the conclusion has shifted.

In a statement, the ministry said that on May 17, 2023, Lee and former Ssangbangwool chairman Kim Sung-tae ate salmon rice bowls and sushi in an interrogation room at the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office with prosecutor Park Sang-yong, while Kim and others drank soju from paper cups. The ministry also said that food deliveries for Kim appeared frequent, suggesting the allegations were credible.

If confirmed, the revelations would be serious. The idea that prosecutors allowed alcohol into an interrogation room to secure the desired testimony undermines the integrity of the justice system. Still, Park has strongly denied the accusations. Thorough fact-finding is necessary. Past controversies have raised similar questions about prosecutors pressuring or persuading suspects. To prevent repeated disputes, institutional safeguards to ensure transparency in investigations are needed.

The controversy should not be steered toward political ends. The North Korea remittance scandal centers on allegations that Ssangbangwool paid $5 million promised by Gyeonggi for a smart farm project in the North and $3 million to cover then-Gov. Lee Jae Myung’s planned visit to Pyongyang. Lee Hwa-young was convicted of receiving bribes and helping arrange the payments, and was sentenced in June by the Supreme Court to seven years and eight months in prison. The unresolved question is whether President Lee was informed of the transfers. He has also been indicted, but his trial has been postponed indefinitely since the presidential election.

Former Gyeonggi Province Vice Gov. Lee Hwa-young answers questions from lawmakers while testifying at the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee audit on Oct. 25, 2024. [YONHAP]

In June, Lee Hwa-young used Facebook to call for signatures supporting a pardon, drawing criticism. His lawyers have said they plan to seek a retrial based on the alcohol allegations. Democratic Party lawmakers argue that President Lee was unjustly indicted through prosecutorial manipulation and have demanded a dismissal of the charges. The persuasion allegations must be thoroughly investigated, but the broader remittance case should be judged on its own merits, based solely on facts.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.