Suspicion over the Kim Young-ran Act on the indictment of one of the lime-drinking prosecutors
An incumbent prosecutor involved in the alleged “prosecution alcohol service” exposed by former Star Mobility Chairman Kim Bong-hyun (46, arrested), a key figure in the case of the suspension of the redemption of Lime Asset Management, has been put on trial.
Only one of the three incumbent prosecutors who were treated with alcohol is prosecuted.
On the 8th, the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office (chief prosecutor Lee Jung-soo) announced the interim results of its investigation into the “prosecution entertainment scandal” raised by former chairman Kim. “The fact that we entertain the prosecutor with alcohol is recognized as objective evidence,” the prosecution said. “We indicted former chairman Kim and two other participants without physical detention on charges of violating the law on the prohibition of illegal solicitation and bribery (also known as the Kim Young-ran Act.” The prosecution indicted a total of three prosecutors, one of whom Kim claimed to have entertained, a prosecutor-turned-lawyer, and Kim.
According to the prosecution, prosecutor B is suspected of receiving alcohol and entertainment in excess of 1 million won from Kim and lawyer A at an entertainment bar in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, from 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. on July 18 last year. Prosecutors viewed Kim as a lawyer who introduced him to prosecutor B and a conspirator who paid a total of 5.36 million won for his drinks. Under the Kim Young-ran Act, public officials who receive more than 1 million won in bribes can be criminally punished regardless of whether they are paid or not. The parties involved in providing entertainment are also subject to punishment.
Two prosecutors don’t have more than a million won in entertainment.
The prosecution, however, excluded two other prosecutors who were together at the drinking party from the prosecution. The prosecution said, “The two prosecutors returned home before 11 p.m. and excluded 550,000 won from the entertainment fee, which was added after that.” In other words, the amount of their entertainment is less than 1 million won each, making it difficult to indict them and only subject to disciplinary action within the prosecution.
The prosecution also said, “The Lime investigation team of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office was formed in early February. Last year, it was difficult to acknowledge the compensation related to drinking and duties, so we did not charge prosecutor B with bribery.” In October, former chairman Kim revealed the suspicion of entertaining the prosecutor’s alcohol through a statement in prison, claiming, “(A lawyer) said they were prosecutors to join if they formed a lime investigation team, but one actually participated in the investigation team.”
