Stop harassing people around me: former DP head

The former DP leader Song Yong-gil showed up at the prosecutors’ office for questioning, but prosecutors turned him away as they have yet to summon him in the ongoing investigation. Song is implicated on a bribe during the DP's 2021 convention.

Former Democratic Party leader Song Young-gil, center, walks out of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office in Seocho-dong, Gangnam, Seoul, after being denied entry on Tuesday. Song, who is implicated in a 2021 bribery scandal related to the party’s convention, voluntarily visited the prosecutors [YONHAP]

Former Democratic Party (DP) leader Song Young-gil demanded that prosecutors arrest him and stop badgering his friends and acquaintances about bribery allegations related to the party’s 2021 convention.

“I apologize to the people” for the bribery allegations, Song said in front of Seoul District Central Prosecutors’ Office on Tuesday. “I will take full responsibility for them.”

However, the former DP leader denied allegations that he was involved in bribing other members of the DP to secure his victory as the head of the party in 2021.

Song said there could have been situations during the convention of which he might not have been aware. “If there is a problem with me, the prosecutors will hold me to account,” he said. “If I am indicted, I will battle it out in court.”

He urged the prosecutor’s office to stop investigating people around him, including a newlywed assistant in her 20s and a single mother.

“I strongly urge that cowardly threats and spurious investigations of people around me to stop,” Song said. “Instead, arrest me, Song Young-gil.”

The former DP leader showed up at the prosecutors’ office for questioning, but prosecutors turned him away as they have yet to summon him in the ongoing investigation.

“It’s been a week since I’ve returned from Paris,” Song said.

“Yet the prosecutors have been harassing people around me instead of summoning me,” he said. “They have committed vicious acts, including threatening and yelling while they questioned assistants in their 20s and 30s.”

Prosecutors have recently been investigating Song and other members of the DP based on an audio recording from former DP deputy secretary-general Lee Jung-geun, who was sentenced to over four years in prison for influence peddling and violating campaign finance laws last month.

Recordings released by the media network JTBC featured politicians close to Song such as DP lawmaker Youn Kwan-suk, as well as the head of the Institute of Internal Auditors, Kang Rae-koo, who also served as the Korea Water Resources Corp. (K-0water) auditor until recently, discussing how to handle bribes from DP legislators.

Investigators reportedly believe the bribes were used to buy votes to help Song win the DP leadership in the party’s convention in 2021.

Song narrowly won the election to become the leader of the party by 0.59 percentage points against runner-up Hong Young-pyo.

Song’s victory is widely considered to have played a significant role in setting the stage for current party leader Lee Jae-myung’s rise as the DP’s presidential candidate in the 2022 election.

His rival Hong was a well-known supporter of President Moon Jae-in, who had been at odds with Lee Jae-myung.

The audio recordings by the former DP secretary-general included statements that Song was aware of the bribes allegedly handed to DP legislators and party members and that he even “handled” some of the money himself.

As controversy grew over the leaked recordings, Song — who had been staying in Paris since last December — returned to Korea on April 24 after denying the allegations against him at a press conference on April 22.

On Tuesday, Song accused prosecutors and the Yoon Suk Yeol government of playing politics.

“If there is suspicion of a crime, there should be an investigation,” Song said.

“But over the last year, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office went all-in with their investigation of DP leader Lee Jae-myung,” he said. “And since their investigation didn’t have any effect, the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, whose public support has been worsening due to its humiliating diplomacy with the U.S. and Japan and economic incompetence, has now gone all-in with a politically planned investigation targeting Song Young-gil while collaborating with certain media.”

He added, “Are there no other cases in Korea other than cases related to the incumbent and former head of the DP?”

The former DP leader also referred to the Disney animated film “Lion King” in describing what he said was the result of the prosecutors taking over the country, referencing to President Yoon, a former prosecutor.

“In the movie Lion King, the son Simba is chased away after Mufasa is killed by his brother Scar’s conspiracy,” Song said. “Under the rule of Scar and the hyenas, the jungle loses its life and turns grey.”

He said, “Korea under the Yoon Suk Yeol government has become a depressing prosecutor’s republic.”

He accused the president of being a person who is cowardly and subservient to Japan, which continues to claim Dokdo as its own land, while refusing to meet with the head of the opposition party and trying to imprison him.

“We are faced with an economy with the biggest-ever trade deficit as well as a crisis in defense and diplomacy,’ Song said. “There is also the growing possibility of World War III and a nuclear war with a clear military confrontation between the Korea, U.S. and Japan alliance and an alliance between North Korea, China and Russia.”

He accused a recent raid of his office and that of an organization known to sponsor him as the prosecutor’s attempt to manipulate evidence.

“A reckless investigation, like an Indian performing a rain dance until it actually rains, is a serious violation of human rights,” Song said.

The former DP leader also accused the media of spreading false news.

“Every day the media have been spewing out speculative articles,” Song said.

“They are not only stomping on a person’s life, but also placing demands on the person, which is a huge burden.” He said. “For a week I have been suffering from defamation and psychological pressure.”

He said he understands why people being investigated by prosecutors sometimes commit suicide.

The prosecutors said they will conduct the investigation according to their own rules and procedures, including possibly summoning Song.

Yet some political pundits claim that Song’s uninvited visit to prosecutors’ office was simply a political act, which he might use later on to convince a court to drop an arrest warrant as it shows he has no intention to flee.

Prosecutors placed a travel ban on Song the day after he returned from Paris.

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