Kim Kyu-hwan, former United Future Party lawmaker and president of the Korea Coal Corporation (KOCOAL), said, "There is absolutely no fact that I received illegal money from the Unification Church."
On the 15th, Kim held a press conference in front of the National Office of Investigation (NOI) at the Korean National Police Agency in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, and stated accordingly, saying, "While living in this world, I came to know what it is to feel so wronged that you want to die."
Kim said there was "not even a single phone call" with Yoon Young-ho, former Unification Church world headquarters chief, who is the starting point of the alleged political lobbying. Kim then said, "I will hold them strictly civilly and criminally liable for tarnishing my honor based on the unverified words of a criminal."
The Korean National Police Agency's special task force conducted searches and seizures that day at 10 locations, including Kim's home, the Unification Church Cheon Jeong Gung in Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi, and the Unification Church Seoul Headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. It is known that the search and seizure warrant for Kim included suspicion of violating the Political Funds Act.
In Aug., former Deputy Minister Yoon testified to the special counsel team for Kim Keon-hee (Min Joong-ki's special counsel team) to the effect that he had contacted not only the People Power Party but also figures from the Democratic Party of Korea and delivered money and valuables. Min Joong-ki's special counsel team then transferred the case to the police after four months.
However, former Deputy Minister Yoon has recently reversed his testimony. On the 12th, he appeared as a witness at the trial of lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong and said, "It makes no sense to provide money or valuables to people I have never even met."