Prosecutors to seek arrest warrant against former DP chief Song Young-gil

Former Democratic Party leader Song Young-gil appears at the prosecutors' office in Seocho-dong, Seoul, on Friday. [YONHAP]

Prosecutors is considering of seeking an arrest warrant against former Democratic Party (DP) leader Song Young-gil, who is under investigation for alleged vote-buying during the party's 2021 convention.

Investigators decided against calling Song for a second round of questioning, citing sufficient evidence against the former DP chief and his perceived lack of cooperation during the initial inquiry.

Song's alleged submission to prosecutors of a blank smartphone rather than the old one he used may incline the court to rule in favor of his arrest.

After facing 13 hours of questioning on Friday, Song accused prosecutors of playing politics and attempting to tarnish the DP's image ahead of next year's parliamentary election.

He argued that prosecutors were overblowing the case, stressing that the convention is a minor party event with guaranteed autonomy.

“I do not agree that this amounts to a serious crime warranting the arrest of a lawmaker who has been elected three times,” Song said, referring to close aide and DP lawmaker Youn Kwan-suk.

Youn was arrested in August for alleged involvement in bribing DP party members to support Song's candidacy.

Song is accused of providing approximately 3 million won ($2,200) each to around 20 DP legislators and party members to secure his election as party leader in 2021.

The allegations surfaced through recorded tapes released by Lee Jung-geun, a former close assistant to Song, showing the delivery of cash-filled envelopes to DP legislators.

Song is considered to have played a significant role in helping current DP chief Lee Jae-myung to become the party’s presidential candidate in the 2022 election by interpreting party rules in Lee's favor against rival Lee Nak-yon, a former prime minister under the Moon Jae-in administration.

Additionally, Song gave up his constituency for Lee to be elected as the representative of Incheon’s Gyeyang District when Lee lost the presidential election to Yoon Suk Yeol.

Lee is accused of leveraging his position as a National Assembly member to shield himself from arrests by the prosecutors.

Under the law, prosecutors can only seek an arrest warrant for a sitting legislator with the consent of the National Assembly.

This legal provision was established to safeguard legislators against potential abuse by an authoritarian regime.

Despite the National Assembly initially denying the prosecutors' arrest warrant motion against Lee in February, it was eventually passed in September.

However, the court rejected the arrest warrant, citing Lee's status as a public figure and the low risk he would destroy evidence.

Song is also accused of receiving 40 million won in bribes from Park Yong-ha, a former chief of the Yeosu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, through the Research Institute for Peace & Livelihood, Song's booster organization, in exchange for resolving licensing issues from January 2020 to August 2021.

Song voluntarily showed up for questioning in May and June after his return from Paris in April.

However, the prosecutors turned Song away as he had not been formally summoned.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]