Prosecutors: “We Produced the Report”

The Busan District Prosecutors’ Office (BDPO) is investigating a bribery scandal involving the owner of a construction company, Kim Sang-jin (44), and his ties to former presidential aide Jeong Yun-jae (44).

On September 19, a BDPO special investigation team led by prosecutor Kim Tae-hyeon requested a warrant for Jeong. He is charged with influence peddling and violating the Attorneys-at-Law Act.

Prosecutors said, “Jeong received tens of millions of won on two occasions in return for arranging lobbying efforts to block an ongoing investigation.”

The prosecution had already issued a summons for Jeong. A substantial review for the issuance of the arrest warrant is planned for September 20.

The BDPO confirmed that it wrote a report at the request of National Tax Service Commissioner Jeon Gun-pyo to stop its investigation into what the bribe money commissioner Jeong had received was spent on.

The report entitled “Commissioner’s Oral Statement” was produced by the BDPO’s special investigation team on September 13.

In the report, there is a line that reads: “We recorded NTS commissioner Jeon Gun-pyo saying, ‘Stop the investigation into the 100 million won bribe Jeong received.’ And we transcribed it. A carbon copy of the transcript is enclosed.” At the end of the report is the seal of the prosecutor who prepared it.

Regarding the report, head prosecutor of the BDPO Kim Tae-hyeon said, “The content of the report is what was talked about over a cup of tea between the NTS commissioner and one of our prosecutors who visited the NTS to obtain data on former commissioner Jeong.”

Head prosecutor Kim said, “The chief of the BDPO’s special investigation team who was briefed by a prosecutor said that for the stability of the NTS, the investigation should end quickly.”

The head prosecutor also said, “Since the report was produced after the prosecutor briefed me, I came to know of its existence just today. What the NTS commissioner said was a mere expression of interest. So we did not think what he said had any significant meaning.”

However, the commissioner’s remarks came at a time when the investigation was going on and the report was produced. This amplifies suspicion regarding the former commissioner’s remarks.

Prosecutors are now investigating two cell phone conversations between Jeong (former head of Busan NTS) and Jeon from August 8 and 9, the date when Jeong was indicted.