Lawmaker Lee Could Face Charges

Special Investigation Department Three (department head: Hong Man-pyo) of the Seoul Central Public Prosecutor’s Office summoned and investigated a secretarial aide and an attending secretary of lawmaker Lee Kwang-jae of the Uri Party on May 29 as part of an investigation into the Russian oil development investment case.

A prosecutor’s office staff member said, “We did an additional investigation on Mr. Lee’s secretaries because we had doubts about a substantial part of Mr. Lee’s statement.”

The person added that “in the press briefing on Friday, we said, ‘As of now, there is no possibility of pressing charges against Mr. Lee,’ but that remark was reported in the media as equivalent to: ‘There will not be any charges filed against Mr. Lee.’ We never said we won’t press charges against Mr. Lee. Please keep wait for the conclusion of our investigation.”

This remark focuses all attention to the conclusion of the investigation because it indicates the possibility of filing charges against Lee.

The prosecutor’s office is scheduled to announce its conclusion around June 3.

In addition, the prosecutor’s office summoned former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economy (MOFE) Lee Hun-jae as a witness, around 6:00 p.m. on Saturday.

The former minister was asked whether he was reported about the Russian oil development project by MOFE officials, and was sent home around 9:30 p.m.

Jin-Young Hwang buddy@donga.com