High-level officials face dismissal over 'cash envelope dinner'

By Kim Bo-eun

Lee Young-ryeol (left), Ahn Tae-geun

The team inspecting dubious cash exchanges between officials of the prosecution and justice ministry has filed for the dismissals of two top officials _ former chief of Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office Lee Young-ryeol and former Justice Ministry Criminal Affairs Deputy Minister Ahn Tae-geun.

The team also requested the prosecution investigate Lee over charges of violating the anti-graft law.

“We have filed for dismissals to the justice ministry as punitive measures for Lee and Ahn,” a ministry official who headed the inspection said in a briefing at the Gwacheon Government Complex, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday.

The announcement came 20 days after a 22-member team was drawn up to inspect the case.

The Ministry of Justice will open a prosecutor disciplinary action committee meeting to decide on the final measures to be taken against Lee and Ahn.

They were among 10 officials present at a dinner on April 21 at which the cash exchanges were made.

Seven senior-level prosecutors of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office’s special team investigating the scandal involving former President Park Geun-hye and her confidant Choi Soon-sil, and three senior-level justice ministry officials were present at the dinner, which took place a few days after investigations into the scandal were concluded.

Ahn presented the investigation team’s officials with envelopes containing between 700,000 won to 1 million won each and Lee also provided two ministry officials with envelopes holding 1 million won each. The ministry officials handed back the cash the following day.

Following reports on the dinner, the attendees said the cash was provided to reward the officials and make up for investigation expenses.

However, suspicions had arisen that the money was provided to have former prosecutor and presidential aide Woo Byung-woo, one of the key suspects in the scandal, escape detention. Most of the other key figures in the scandal have been detained and are on trial.

Warnings were issued for the other eight officials, as they were seen to have attended due to orders from their superiors.

Lee and Ahn were demoted to positions at regional district offices after the inspection began. Acting Justice Minister Lee Chang-jae resigned citing responsibility for the incident.

The justice ministry will hand over inspection records to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office for further investigations.