Pastor Choi Jae-young says he ‘will present new evidence showing luxury bag given to First Lady was for soliciting’

Pastor Choi Jae-young speaks to reporters in front of the Supreme Prosecutors\' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul on August 23. Sung Dong-hoon

Pastor Choi Jae-young, who gave a luxury bag to First Lady Kim Keon-hee will reportedly present new evidence to the Prosecutors' Investigation Review Committee, which will decide his case. Choi is expected to admit that “there was a meaning of solicitation in giving the luxury bag,” unlike during the prosecution's investigation.

According to the legal community, Choi's defense submitted an opinion letter to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office on September 23. It reportedly contained claims that Choi gave the luxury bag to Kim for the purpose of solicitation and that the prosecution's investigation was unfair. Choi's defense is expected to attend the investigation review committee on the 24th and emphasize that Kim's act of receiving a bag violates the anti-graft law.

Earlier, Choi was summoned and questioned by prosecutors on suspicion of violating the anti-graft law, stating that the luxury bag was just a means of meeting and that there was no purpose of solicitation in handing it over. The prosecution tentatively concluded not to prosecute the first lady after investigating people involved in the case, including Choi and Kim, saying that the bag was not a quid pro quo.

However, Choi claims that his testimony during the prosecution's investigation was the result of the prosecution's leading questioning. According to Choi, the luxury bag and other gifts to Kim were for the purpose of soliciting the burial of the national cemetery after the death of former U.S. Congressman Kim Chang-joon and the re-transmission of Tongil TV.

The existence of new evidence that Choi will present at the hearing is also of interest. On September 6, the committee recommended that all charges against Kim, including violation of the anti-graft law, be dismissed. Choi's defense reportedly has new video evidence to prove that the solicitation actually took place and that it was connected to the president's duties, which they plan to present to the committee.

The prosecution will also emphasize that Kim's acceptance of the luxury bag did not have the nature of solicitation. It will also emphasize that the investigation was carried out without problems.

The prosecution's calculus could be complicated if the committee recommends that Choi be indicted or that the investigation continue. If Choi is charged with a crime, Kim would be an accomplice in the exchange of the luxury bag. In this case, it would be difficult to prosecute only Choi while acquitting Kim. Even if the prosecutors ignore the recommendation and do not charge Choi, they will likely face criticism for “going easy” on the first lady.

※This article has undergone review by a professional translator after being translated by an AI translation tool.