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Lee Jae-myeong's closest aide, Jeong Jin-sang, head of the political coordination office at the Democratic Party's representative office, was arrested early today (19th).

The court issued an arrest warrant requested by the prosecution on charges of receiving billions of won in bribes in connection with the Daejang-dong project.

Following Kim Yong, vice president of the Democratic Research Institute, Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party representative's closest aide, was arrested one after another, and the prosecution's investigation is now expected to target Lee directly.



This is reporter Han So-hee.



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Jeong Jin-sang, head of the Office for Political Coordination, exited the court after 8 hours and 10 minutes of reviewing the warrant.



[Jeong Jin-sang/Democratic Party Representative Political Coordination Office Chief: I worked diligently.

In any case, history and democracy will develop under any kind of oppression.

Our people will continue to move forward.]



After a long interrogation equivalent to 8 hours and 40 minutes for former President Park Geun-hye, who is considered 'the longest in history', and nearly 5 hours of document review, the court issued a warrant for Chung's arrest this morning.



Chief Judge Kim Se-yong of the Seoul Central District Court said that he is issuing an arrest warrant because there is a risk of escaping and destroying evidence.



During the interrogation, the prosecution insisted on the need for arrest based on the consistent statements of Yoo Dong-gyu, former head of the planning division of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation, and attorney Nam Wook, and Chief Jung's side also argued that the statement of former head of the division was unreliable through a 100-page rebuttal. Rebutted, but not accepted.



[Attorney Lee Geon-tae/Jung Jin-sang Chief Counsel: Dong-gyu Yoo's changed statement is not credible, so it is a case that desperately needs to protect the defendant's right to defense.

Therefore, I asked for the warrant to be dismissed so that the investigation and trial without detention (I have)]



Chief Jung is accused of receiving a bribe of 140 million won from Head Jeon Yu and 42.8 billion won of the shares of Cheonhwa Dongin owned by Mr. Man-bae Kim, a Daejang-dong operator. He is accused of being promised in advance to jointly own the Won with Kim Yong, vice president of the Democratic Research Institute.



Prosecutors plan to conduct a reinforced investigation of Chief Chung for up to 20 days before handing him over to trial.