Lee Jong-ho asks for cross-examination after actor claims he had dinner with Lee and ex-commander
Published: 06 Nov. 2025, 17:00
![Actor Park Sung-woong poses for photos during a press conference for the film “Gentleman” (2022) at Megabox Seongsu in Seongdong District, eastern Seoul, on Dec. 1, 2022. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/06/f890e40c-6d6d-432a-89cc-37e58baecea0.jpg)
Actor Park Sung-woong poses for photos during a press conference for the film “Gentleman” (2022) at Megabox Seongsu in Seongdong District, eastern Seoul, on Dec. 1, 2022. [NEWS1]
Lee Jong-Ho — the former CEO of Blackpearl Invest, who was accused of helping a former Marine commander lobby his way out of being investigated for the death of a Marine in 2023 — requested to be cross-examined with actor Park Sung-woong, who claimed that he had dinner with both the CEO and the commander in 2022.
The case refers to the death of Marine Cpl. Chae Su-geun, who drowned in July 2023 during a search and rescue operation following severe flooding in Yecheon County, North Gyeongsang. Lee has denied any relationship with former Marine Corps 1st Division Commander Lim Seong-geun.
Park, however, told the special counsel team that he once “dined with both Lee and Lim at a dinner gathering,” which he attended after being invited by a trot singer with whom he was close. The alleged meeting took place in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, in 2022. Park testified as a witness in September and told investigators that it was the first and only time he met both men. He had no contact with them afterward.
His statement could serve as key evidence in the special counsel's case, which centers on allegations that Lee — a Marine Corps veteran and known associate of former first lady Kim Keon Hee — lobbied to shield Lim from legal scrutiny during the investigation into Chae's death.
Lim, who was a commander at the time of the incident, was not initially investigated.
The reason Park chose to testify remains unclear. He reportedly told prosecutors, “My parents raised me to speak the truth.”
Lee continues to deny ever meeting Lim.
“Lee did attend the dinner that Park described, but Lim was not there,” Lee's legal team said. “Park's claim is false.”
Prosecutors are reportedly open to arranging a cross-examination between Lee and Park.
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.
BY KIM CHUL-WOONG [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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