Choi Soon-sil's Angry Prison Letter "I'm Innocent... I Wish to Be Investigated by the Daejangdong Team"

"Daechang-dong, a Show Investigation Proceeding as an Already Decided Step"

Choi Soon-sil.
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] Choi Seo-won (formerly Choi Soon-sil), who was sentenced to prison during the Park Geun-hye administration for the 'state manipulation' scandal and is currently serving her sentence, stated regarding the preferential treatment allegations in the Daejang-dong development project in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, "The investigation should be conducted through a special prosecutor, just like during the state manipulation investigation."

According to the Dong-A Ilbo on the 29th, Choi sent a nine-page letter to the media on the 24th, raising issues with the investigation methods of former special prosecutor Park Young-soo, who investigated former President Park and herself, as well as the current prosecution.

Regarding the Daejang-dong investigation, Choi said, "The investigation into the Daejang-dong allegations is going backward. Even though they received the recordings as absolute evidence, they have uncovered nothing and are swayed by conflicting testimonies," adding, "Instead of revealing the truth, they are conducting a show investigation following a predetermined course."

She then expressed dissatisfaction with the differing investigative standards between former special prosecutor Park and the current prosecution. She recalled, "When I was summoned to the special prosecutor on December 24, 2016, they presented a recording from decades ago during the Daegu Dalseong election as a conversation with former President Park and started the investigation claiming we were one body and an economic community from that point," and added, "The chief prosecutor threatened me, saying if I did not confess, he would annihilate my entire family. It was a cruel day I will never forget."

She further commented, "I think the prosecution generally decides on a direction and then drags the investigation along, gathering circumstantial evidence in that order."

Choi stated, "At that time, Special Prosecutor Park, along with prosecutors, summoned everyone from the country's economic and political circles and close aides of former President Park, conducting coercive investigations all day in the investigation room, wielding absolute power to make them kneel. It was to label corporate donations to the foundation as bribes," and expressed outrage, "It is abnormal that Park Young-soo received advisory fees related to Hwacheon Daeyu on the other side. Seeing him justify the 10 billion won given to his relative as legitimate money made me think such money is pocket change to them, which is shocking."

Development district of Daejang-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si.
Photo by Yonhap News

Choi also criticized the dedicated investigation team at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office handling the Daejang-dong allegations. She claimed, "The Daejang-dong scandal is a money rain party for businessmen who sucked the blood of residents, yet the key figures arrested at the airport were released, and Kim Man-bae's warrant was dismissed. If these prosecutors had investigated the state manipulation case, I would have been acquitted."

She continued, "It is a comedy that the prosecution failed to find the mobile phone thrown outside by former Seongnam Urban Development Corporation acting president Yoo Dong-gyu, but the police found it within a day. The seizure of the mobile phone, which is crucial for tracing funds, and the belated search of the Seongnam mayor's office seem to be show investigations just watching public opinion trends," and criticized, "Why did they conduct a ruthless search and seizure of the mobile phone in the hospital room where my young daughter was breastfeeding her newborn grandson, but not conduct equally ruthless searches of the Daejang-dong related parties?"

She added, "Everyone can see that the Daejang-dong case involved an economic community sharing profits, and one person frequented the office of former Supreme Court Justice Kwon Soon-il like it was his own home during a sensitive period," and questioned, "Shouldn't it be seen that there was an implicit request among them?"

Furthermore, she said, "It is hard to believe that former Special Prosecutor Park regarded the visit to former Supreme Court Justice Kwon Soon-il, a place no one can enter or visit, as an ordinary meeting within the scope of implicit requests," and stated, "It should be investigated whether there was something implicit, and the suspicion should be investigated with the implicit request standard applied by former Special Prosecutor Park."

Choi also voiced criticism regarding allegations of Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, having his legal fees paid by others. She said, "I want to ask if well-known and reputable people who just put their names on documents usually agreed to receive money later or discussed corresponding compensation," and added, "It is hard to understand that not one but three to four prominent lawyers took on cases for 200 to 300 million won. To get near reputable lawyers, you need to pay hundreds of millions per case and they pick and choose cases. The exaggerations happening in this country are truly a spectacle."

She concluded her letter, saying, "In this movie-like gambling game of the Daejang-dong scandal, we must reveal through a special prosecutor who embezzled, who orchestrated the big scheme, and who the backers of those who divided the spoils are, so that such vicious businessmen can never suck the blood of the people again in this country. I am writing this because the prosecution's investigation methods are so contrary to the standards used in the state manipulation investigation that my heart feels like it will burst."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.