Opposition leader Lee's close aide banned from overseas travel in illegal donation probe
Democratic Party of Korea Chair Lee Jae-myung speaks during a party meeting at the National Assembly, Oct. 24. Yonhap
Prosecutors have imposed an overseas travel ban on a close aide of main opposition leader Lee Jae-myung as part of a probe into illegal corporate donation allegations involving Lee's term as Seongnam mayor, sources said Monday.
The Suwon District Prosecutors Office recently banned Jeong Jin-sang, a vice chief of staff for political affairs for Lee of the Democratic Party of Korea, from leaving Korea, the sources said.
The probe centers on allegations that the Seongnam city government had attracted 5.5 billion won ($3.8 million) worth of donations from Doosan Engineering Construction in the mid-2010s via the city's football club, Seongnam FC, in return for administrative favors. Lee was serving as Seongnam mayor at that time.
Several other firms, including Nonghyup Bank, Hyundai Department Store and Naver, are also suspected of having illegally provided donations to Seongnam.
Prosecutors suspect Lee and Jeong had colluded with each other in connection with the corporate donations.
Jeong has served in several key posts for Lee, including as a ranking policy aide while he was Seongnam mayor, and is considered one of his closest aides.
Jeong also faces allegations of involvement in a separate illegal political fund probe involving Lee that is currently under way. (Yonhap)