Kim Geon-hee Special Prosecutor, Arrest Warrant for Sambo Construction Suspect... 'Butler Gate' Investment Company Also Summoned

[Financial News] Kim Geon-hee's special prosecutor team (Min Jung-gi special prosecutor) plans to request arrest warrants for key suspects in the Sambo Construction stock manipulation case. In addition to the 'Sambo Construction stock manipulation suspicion', they are also investigating the 'People Power Party nomination intervention suspicion', 'Butler Gate', and 'Yangpyeong Expressway route change suspicion', increasing pressure on Mrs. Kim.
Oh Jeong-hee, assistant special prosecutor for Kim Geon-hee, stated on the 14th, "Regarding the Sambo Construction stock manipulation case, the special prosecutor plans to request arrest warrants for key suspects involved in stock manipulation after completing investigations of major suspects and witnesses following a search and seizure today."
The special prosecutor team has selected the Sambo Construction stock manipulation suspicion as the 'first investigation' and is actively investigating to clarify the suspicion. On the day the investigation began, July 3rd, the special prosecutor team conducted a search and seizure of 13 locations, including the Sambo Construction headquarters and the residences of suspects, followed by investigations of former and current Sambo Construction chairmen and vice-chairmen, executives of the Eurasia Economic Association who hosted the Ukraine reconstruction forum, and executives of Well Biotech who participated in the forum around the same time as Sambo Construction.
The special prosecutor team is focusing on whether former Black Pearl Investment representative Lee Jong-ho was directly involved in the stock manipulation suspicion, how Sambo Construction and Well Biotech came to participate in the reconstruction forum, and the reasons for the stock price increase, while investigating whether Mrs. Kim, who is at the center of the suspicion, was involved in the stock manipulation.
Additionally, the special prosecutor team has notified the summoning of corporate officials who invested in IMS Mobility, a company established by Mrs. Kim's butler, Mr. Kim, in relation to the so-called 'Butler Gate'. The subjects of this summons investigation are officials from Korea Securities Finance, HS Hyosung, Kakao Mobility, and Kiwoom Securities. Mr. Kim is suspected of having received 18.4 billion won in investments from these companies but acquiring 4.6 billion won of it. Assistant special prosecutor Oh stated, "We request that the summoned individuals cooperate sincerely with the procedures to clarify the facts of the case."
The special prosecutor team has also requested Mr. Kim's appearance. Assistant special prosecutor Oh stated, "We hope Mr. Kim will immediately return to the country and cooperate with the investigation," and "We also hope that Mr. Kim's wife, who is suspected of being related to the nominee ownership of Innovest, will quickly disclose her whereabouts and contact information to the special prosecutor and appear for investigation." However, the special prosecutor team emphasized that they have not yet received any contact from Mr. Kim's side.
Meanwhile, the special prosecutor team has also initiated compulsory investigations into other cases. On this day, the special prosecutor team is conducting a search and seizure of over 10 locations, including the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Korea Expressway Corporation, and two service companies, on charges of creating false official documents related to the 'Yangpyeong Expressway route change suspicion'. They have also conducted a search and seizure of the Presidential Archives in relation to the 'People Power Party nomination intervention suspicion'. The special prosecutor team is verifying whether former President Yoon Seok-yeol and his wife intervened in nominations centered around the 22nd general election.
Assistant special prosecutor Oh stated, "We plan to conduct summons investigations of related parties in parallel with the analysis of seized materials as soon as possible."
theknight@fnnews.com Jeong Kyung-soo Reporter