In connection with allegations that, during the investigation into the SSANGBANGWOOL remittance-to-North Korea case, prosecutors brought in alcohol and outside food to coax former Gyeonggi Province Vice Governor for Peace Lee Hwa-young and others, the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office is conducting a search and seizure of an SSANGBANGWOOL Group affiliate on the 5th.
The human rights violation inspection task force (TF) of the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office has been conducting a search and seizure since about 9:30 a.m. that day at the headquarters of VIVIEN, an SSANGBANGWOOL Group affiliate, in Seobinggo-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul.
Earlier, former Gyeonggi Province Vice Governor for Peace Lee Hwa-young revealed in court in April last year that, during the 2023 investigation by the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office into the SSANGBANGWOOL remittance-to-North Korea case, prosecutors arranged a setting where alcohol and outside food were brought in to coax testimony implicating President Lee Jae-myung.
At the time, the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office investigation team refuted the claim, saying it was not true based on its own review. The Supreme Prosecutors' Office also concluded through an internal inspection that the former vice governor's claim was not true.
However, after the launch of the Lee Jae-myung administration, the Ministry of Justice said it confirmed in a fact-finding review indications that alcohol and food had indeed been provided. Minister Jeong Seong-ho then ordered an inspection to begin on Sept. in response. The Supreme Prosecutors' Office subsequently formed a "human rights violation inspection task force (TF)" at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office and began an inspection.
Recently, the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office booked former SSANGBANGWOOL Chairman Kim Sung-tae and two SSANGBANGWOOL employees on charges of breach of trust. Kim is suspected of having visiting employees pay with an SSANGBANGWOOL corporate card for outside food and alcohol to be brought into the prosecutors' office.