PP Leader Calls 740 Billion Won Appeal Abandonment Hush Money

Political Fallout Over Prosecution’s Decision in Daechong Case

The People Power Party leader, Jang Dong-hyeok, has made strong statements regarding the recent controversy surrounding the prosecution’s decision to abandon its appeal in the Seongnam Daechong development corruption case. On the 10th, he described the move as a significant act of judicial pressure that effectively funneled 740 billion Korean won into the pockets of the Daechong group. According to Jang, this was not just an abandonment of an appeal but an action worth 740 billion Korean won, which he called “the worst investigative and judicial pressure since the founding of the nation.”

Earlier, the prosecution had sparked widespread debate by deciding to abandon its appeal on the 7th, just before the second trial in the Daechong development corruption case. This decision means that the prosecution will no longer be able to demand the confiscation of approximately 780 billion Korean won in profits that the Daechong developers earned during the second trial. Initially, the prosecution had requested the confiscation of 781.4 billion Korean won, citing violations of the Conflict of Interest Prevention Act and other laws. They argued that the Daechong group had used confidential information for personal gain.

However, the court of first instance ordered the confiscation of only 47.3 billion Korean won, a figure far lower than what the prosecution had initially requested. This discrepancy has raised questions about the fairness and transparency of the judicial process.

Jang made these remarks during an on-site Supreme Council meeting held at the People Power Party’s North Chungcheong Provincial Party Office on the same day. He accused Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho, whom he referred to as President Lee Jae-myung’s “avatar,” of directly commanding the “appeal abandonment pressure operation.” Jang described the act as a clear abuse of power and grounds for impeachment. However, he did not specify whether the impeachment target was President Lee or Minister Jung.

According to Jang, the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office intervened to block the appeal in the Daechong case. He claimed that even though some defendants were acquitted in the largest development corruption case since the founding of the nation, and the 780 billion Korean won in illicit profits was reduced to just 40 billion Korean won by the court of first instance, the appeal was still blocked.

Jang further stated that this blocked the path to President Lee Jae-myung in the Daechong case. He likened the situation to “scooping a bucket of water from a reservoir worth nearly 800 billion Korean won and simply covering it up.” His comments highlight the growing tensions between political factions and the judiciary, raising concerns about the integrity of the legal system and the potential for misuse of power.