Overview

• The ministry said records show salmon rice bowls, sushi and soju were consumed on May 17, 2023 during questioning of Lee Hwa-young and ex-Ssangbangwool chairman Kim Sung-tae with prosecutor Park Sang-yong at the Suwon office, with frequent food deliveries noted for Kim.
• Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho ordered an internal inspection into whether interrogation conduct was used to influence testimony.
• Prosecutor Park has rejected the accusation that alcohol was allowed to steer statements.
• Lee Hwa-young was convicted of receiving bribes and facilitating payments in the Ssangbangwool remittance case and received a Supreme Court sentence of seven years and eight months in June.
• Lee’s defense plans to seek a retrial based on the new allegations, while Democratic Party lawmakers call for dismissal of charges against President Lee and urge transparent fact-finding.