As the National Assembly's special committee on a parliamentary probe moved to determine the circumstances and responsibility related to SSANGBANGWOOL's alleged remittance to North Korea, KH Group Chairperson Bae Sang-yoon released a statement and a written confirmation. The confirmation stated that the alleged remittance to North Korea was unrelated to President Lee Jae-myung.
According to the National Assembly on the 15th, Seo Young-kyo, a Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker who serves as chairperson of the special committee on the parliamentary probe, released Bae's statement and said it was "an important document that reveals another side of the case."
According to the disclosed confirmation, Bae claimed that the memorandum of understanding signed with North Korea in 2019 together with former Chairperson Kim Sung-tae was for business purposes. He said it was pursued independently of President Lee, who was then Gyeonggi governor.
In the statement, Bae also argued that the current prosecution investigation stemmed from a "targeted probe" aimed at a specific politician. He said that while he was overseas, the "alleged payment of a lawyer's fees by a third party" surfaced and large-scale searches and seizures were conducted at the company. He said he considered returning to Korea at the time but postponed his return after being told that "the ultimate aim of the investigation was then-Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung."
Bae particularly claimed that during the investigation, company materials and documents related to past cases were leaked externally, and media reports severely damaged the reputations of the corporations and individuals.
Bae said, "Despite years of investigation, not a single allegation—North Korea remittance, third-party payment of lawyer's fees, or the Alpensia bidding corruption—has been proven, yet probes continued and were used as a means of pressure," adding, "As a result, five KH Group affiliates were delisted, and hundreds of thousands of executives and employees, minor shareholders, and even their families suffered enormous damage."
He added, "I will faithfully undergo questioning upon returning as soon as my health recovers," noting, "At present, after an extended stay overseas and extreme stress, my health has deteriorated, and I am receiving treatment for hemoptysis symptoms and diabetes complications."