Son Hye-won’s brother was found dead in the Philippines. No sign of murder.
A 63-year-old younger brother, identified only by his surname Sohn, who raised additional allegations of real estate speculation by former Democratic Party lawmaker Sohn Hye-won, was found dead in the Philippines.
According to the Korean Embassy in the Philippines on the 8th, Son was found hanged in a room at a hotel in the northern Philippines at 10:30 a.m. on the 4th (local time).
The embassy said a suicide note appeared at the scene expressing pessimism about the situation.
At that time, the local Korean Association, which was contacted by the hotel, reported it to the police and asked the Korean Embassy for identification, which was finally confirmed as Choi the previous day.
According to the embassy, local police closed the case, believing that Son made an extreme choice considering that there was no sign of murder and that a suicide note was found.
Earlier on February 28 last year, Sohn held a press conference at the National Alliance for Liberal Democracy in Jongno-gu, Seoul, raising additional suspicions about her sister’s real estate speculation.
“I make it clear that there are seven more cases besides 24 real estate properties under borrowed names in Mokpo, which have been revealed so far,” Sohn said at the time. “If it’s not true, you can sue me.”
According to his own confirmation, Sohn claims that he has seven more parcels in the modern historical and cultural space in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province, through his close aides, Jang, Hong, Kim and Cho.
He also revealed, “My sister insisted that she was not interested in real estate and did not speculate when suspicions were raised against her, but she once made great profits through real estate under her brother-in-law’s name.”
In addition, Sohn’s application for a reward for his father’s independence again raised suspicions that it was the result of pressure on the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs.
Sohn’s father was selected as a man of merit for independence in August 2018 after seven applications. At that time, the opposition Liberty Korea Party raised suspicions of preferential treatment, saying that former lawmaker Sohn met with then-Chief of Veterans Affairs Pi Woo-jin before the screening of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs’ selection of men of merit.
According to Sohn, Sohn had not seen him for five to six years before his father died.
At the time, Son raised his voice, targeting his sister, saying, “It’s abominable,” and added, “I just uploaded it to add one more line of independent merit to my own specifications and career.”
He also said that he will launch a “Son Hye-won corruption report and tracking group,” adding that he has all the data to support the fact.
Meanwhile, Sohn’s party has denied all claims made by his younger brother.
Sohn was sentenced to one and a half years in prison in the first trial in August after being indicted on charges of using private information to purchase real estate in Mokpo under borrowed names and to buy it from others.
Having avoided court custody at the time, he appealed, saying, “It is hard to understand the conviction that accepted the prosecution’s unilateral claim.”
