Special Counsel Park Young-soo, who led the investigation into a corruption scandal related to former President Park Geun-hye, ironically resigned Wednesday amid allegations he accepted a flashy Porsche car from a fishery businessman.
Park told reporters that he submitted his letter of resignation, saying that it became difficult for him to carry out his duties as special counsel. “I decided to retire upon judging that I would be doing a disfavor to the people by continuing to carry out my duties as special counsel under the current circumstances,” he said. He continued that “despite numerous difficulties, I put my heart and soul into determining the truth behind the [corruption scandal involving the former president] for the past four years and seven months.” President Moon Jae-in accepted his resignation on July 8.
The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) criticized Park for calling for social justice while receiving an expensive car from the businessman. Hwangbo Seung-hee, a spokesperson of the PPP, said that Park, who investigated former President Park Geun-hye’s confidante Choi Soon-sil’s alleged meddling in state affairs, was revealed to have used double standards on himself and the people he investigated. “He should have been impeached, not voluntarily resigned, based on the evidence revealed,” she said. “It is deplorable to see that a special counsel who led an investigation which drew anger from the people had this kind of corrupted work ethics.”
The 43-year-old businessman surnamed Kim is facing charges of bribing a number of high-profile people, and allegedly gave the Porsche and expensive seafood as gifts to the special counsel. Park argued that he did not receive the car but only rented it for two days. He said he paid the full cost for the rental. However, it was reported that he made the payment after police launched an investigation into Kim. Park said he paid 2.5 million won ($2,175).
Park, who led the special investigation team for 4 years and 7 months, was often declared to be a symbol of justice in South Korea. He indicted 30 people, including President Park, her confidante Choi Soon-sil, and Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, the de facto leader of South Korea’s top conglomerate, over bribery and other charges. He asked for 80 years of jail time for the defendants that he indicted. The public is outraged over the fact that Park himself received goods that can be interpreted as bribes.
According to the media, a total of four people involved in the special counsel’s investigation team were listed on the businessman’s “gift list.” The police are investigating whether Park introduced his team members to the businessman. A lawyer who was previously a member of the special counsel team told the Munhwa Ilbo newspaper that “it is true that the special counsel team behaved wrongfully regardless of the value of high-end imported cars and watches and whether these gifts were given for a favor.”
The businessman surnamed Kim approached high-profile people by introducing himself as someone involved in fisheries who sells squid. He was arrested in March over fraud charges. He received 11.6 billion won ($10.1 million) as an investment from seven people, including an older brother of former lawmaker Kim Moo-sung from the conservative party. It was later found out that the squid business did not exist. The police are also investigating the whereabouts of the 11.6 billion won.
Previously, he was sentenced to two years in prison on another fraud charge, but he was pardoned in December 2017, when President Moon announced his first pardon. Some politicians from the PPP argued that the presidential Blue House might have decided to pardon him for a certain reason, indicating that some senior officials might also have received or be receiving something from the businessman. The Blue House and the Ministry of Justice said there was no such relationship with him.
“At the time, Kim completed 81 percent of his sentence, and he was qualified for the presidential pardon,” a Blue House aide told the media. “Other than two prior convictions punished with fines, he had no other special criminal history.”
It is reported that the businessman sent expensive presents such as snow crabs and rare shrimp and money to at least 28 people. The list of people includes Park Jie-won, current head of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), former lawmaker Kim Moo-sung from the PPP, current lawmaker Joo Ho-young of the PPP, and former lawmaker Chung Bong-joo from the Democratic Party.
South Korea’s spy chief Park Jie-won said he does not remember Kim well, but thinks that he met with Kim before he became the head of NIS in July 2020. Park added that he had accepted a present from Kim, but it was nothing expensive or memorable.
The police are investigating whether these people violated the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act. “No public servant shall accept, request or promise to receive any money, goods and etc. exceeding 1 million won [$884] at a time or 3 million won in a year from the same person, regardless of any connection to his or her duties and regardless of any pretext such as donation, sponsorship, gift, etc.,” the law says.
Two other suspects are journalists. One is Lee Dong-hoon, former editorial writer for the Chosun Ilbo newspaper, who briefly served as a spokesman for former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl. The other is Eom Seong-seop, a news anchor for the newspaper’s sister company, broadcaster TV Chosun. Lee and Eom face allegations of receiving used golf clubs and rental cars. Eom reportedly said he received them because he served as a model to advertise the businessman’s company.
