Second Special Prosecutor Finds Clues of Presidential Office Intervention in Ssangbangul North Korea Remittance Case

The Second Comprehensive Special Prosecutor (Special Prosecutor Kwon Chang-young) has reportedly captured signs of attempted intervention by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's presidential office in the Ssangbangul North Korea remittance case, designating it as a suspected incident of 'mega state manipulation by state power.' The Second Comprehensive Special Prosecutor, led by Special Prosecutor Kwon Chang-young, launched its investigation on the 6th after receiving the case concerning alleged inducement of false testimony related to Ssangbangul's North Korea remittances from the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office. In the process of investigating remaining allegations outside the previously initiated 'Big Three' special prosecutor probes (rebellion, Kim Keon-hee, deceased Marine), the special prosecutor confirmed signs of the presidential office's involvement in the case.

Han Byung-do, Floor Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated at a party meeting at the National Assembly on the morning of the 7th, "Signs of intervention by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's Senior Presidential Secretariat for Public Grievances have been confirmed in the Ssangbangul North Korea remittance case." He added, "This was not a mere deviation by political prosecutors, but an unprecedented mega state manipulation involving the mobilization of state power." He further listed alleged evidence including the inducement of false testimony through plea bargains, the bringing of outside food, suspected presidential office involvement, and alleged leniency in the Ssangbangul stock manipulation case, emphasizing, "The matter is extremely serious based on what has been revealed so far."

Han also criticized Prosecutor Park Sang-yong, who was in charge of the Ssangbangul North Korea remittance investigation. He described the Ministry of Justice's decision to suspend Park's duties the previous day as "justice prevailing" and stated, "Despite evidence of bringing outside food such as salmon sashimi and alcohol, inducement of false testimony, and plea bargain schemes, Prosecutor Park has shown a brazen attitude instead of remorse." Park had been summoned to a plenary session of the 'Special Committee for Investigating the Truth of Fabricated Indictments by the Yoon Suk-yeol Regime's Political Prosecutors' on the 3rd but refused to take the oath and left. Han concluded, "The Democratic Party will immediately introduce a special prosecutor after the parliamentary audit to uncover all allegations of fabricated indictments."

The Ministry of Justice announced on the 6th that it had decided to suspend Park's duties after an audit revealed he had violated his official duties and engaged in conduct raising doubts about investigative impartiality during the North Korea remittance case investigation.

Song Eon-seok, Floor Leader of the People Power Party, presented a contrasting view at a party meeting on the same day. He claimed, "The current administration has mobilized all power institutions – the National Assembly, the Ministry of Justice, special prosecutors, and the National Intelligence Service – to seek the cancellation of President Lee Jae-myung's indictment for the North Korea remittance case." He strongly urged President Lee, "We demand you personally declare to the public that there will be no cancellation of the indictment during your term." Regarding the suspension of Prosecutor Park's duties, he countered, "Park was suspended without a concrete explanation of any duty violation," and argued, "The demand to testify truthfully cannot be twisted into an inducement to lie."