By Lee Kyung-min
A special counsel team sought an arrest warrant for a lawyer surnamed Do, 61, a key figure in the "opinion-rigging" scandal masterminded by an influential blogger who went by the nickname "Druking."
Druking and his followers initially used software to boost the popularity of Moon Jae-in in the lead up to the presidential election last May, hoping their "successful months-long campaigning efforts" would be "rewarded." But after Kim Kyoung-soo, Moon's key aide and now governor of South Gyeongsang Province, dismissed the blogger's recommendation to appoint Do as the consul general of Korea in Osaka, they used the same tools to disparage Moon. Do, one of seven members in the group of followers, is suspected of offering legal consultation as well as controlling the group's activities overall.
The team led by special counsel Huh Ik-bum sought an arrest warrant for Do on charges of violating the Political Campaign Fund Law and destroying evidence. Assistant special counsel Park Sang-yong said the team believed Do helped Druking meet with Rep. Roh Hoe-chan, the floor leader of the minor opposition Justice Party, and gave him 50 million won ($48,000) in illicit campaign funds.
Police and the prosecution both investigated Druking over this allegation in 2016 but the charge was dropped after prosecutors determined the money hadn't been delivered to Roh. The special counsel believes the lawyer falsified a document in which he made it look like over 80 percent of the 50 million won was undelivered, thereby helping his group leader avoid criminal prosecution. The team may consider questioning Roh over the allegation.
The investigation may expand to Governor Kim whom Druking claims was aware of their "illegal campaigning" scheme the whole time.
The team searched the home and car of a man, surnamed Han, a former aide to Kim, and confiscated computer hard disks, documents and car dashboard cameras. The search followed an allegation that Han received 5 million won from two of the group members. Han admitted to receiving the money because the two told him it had no strings attached, adding he returned it a day after Druking's arrest. The two members, however, told investigators they asked that Do be made consul general. Han is likely to be questioned after the team reviews the confiscated material.
Meanwhile, Governor Kim denied the allegation, calling the claim "preposterous." He admitted only to exchanging messages with the blogger to express appreciation of his team's popularity-boosting efforts for Moon, stressing that the "bitter" blogger was acting out against the President because his demand was ignored.
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