April 2026: Unraveling the Political Scandal – What’s Next for the Yoon Suk-yeol Administration?

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The Special Committee on the State Investigation into Alleged Fabricated Indictments by Political Prosecutors — led by the ruling party — plans an on-site inspection on April 9 at Room 1313 of the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office (the office of then-deputy chief prosecutor Park Sang-yong of the Incheon Prosecutors’ Office, who handled the case) and at the detention cells of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, where allegations of a “salmon-and-drinking” party were raised.

Democratic Party committee members announced the schedule at a press briefing in the National Assembly on March 29.

Rep. Lee Geon-tae said the committee will inspect Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office Room 1313, the video-recording interrogation room, and the area known as the “warehouse” on April 9, and will inspect the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office detention cells at 10 a.m. the same day.

Rep. Lee explained that lawyer Nam Uk — a private developer linked to the Daejang-dong case — said he had been threatened with “having his belly cut open.” After Nam’s arrest, he was held for 48 hours in the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office detention cells and could not be returned to the jail during that period.

Before these inspections, the committee will vote on the adoption of regular witnesses and reference witnesses on March 30 and 31.

Rep. Lee said the Daejang-dong inquiry will summon core private developers Kim Man-bae and Nam Uk, accountant Jeong Yeong-hak, and lawyer Jeong Min-yong as witnesses. He also named demolition contractor Kang — who recanted testimony related to former Seongnam Urban Development Corporation official Yoo Dong-gyu — prosecutors Eom Hee-jun, Kang Baek-sin, Jeong Il-gwon, and court reporters connected to the case.

He added that the Ssangbangwool case revealed fabricated testimony, including claims about a salmon sashimi drinking party, during a Justice Ministry inspection. The committee therefore plans to call roughly 10 correctional officers who witnessed the events, former Ssangbangwool chairman Kim Sung-tae, and associates Bang Yong-chul, Kim Tae-heon, and An Bu-su.

Rep. Lee said the committee will also summon An’s daughter to verify allegations that Kim’s camp provided her rent deposit and living expenses. The committee plans to call key prosecutors involved in the probe — including Park Sang-yong and Kim Young-nam.

Earlier, the Democratic Party released portions of an audio recording of Prosecutor Park Sang-yong, who led the probe into Ssangbangwool’s alleged transfers to North Korea.

The recording captures a call between Prosecutor Park and attorney Seo Min-seok, who represented former Gyeonggi deputy governor Lee Hwa-young. In it, Park is heard suggesting that “a confession naming President Lee Jae-myung as the ringleader would be necessary to allow bail.”

Attorney Seo said the tape shows the range of attempts that were made to implicate President Lee Jae-myung. Seo is a Democratic Party member and a preliminary candidate for Cheongju mayor in the June 3 local elections.

In response, Prosecutor Park posted on Facebook asking, “Can you testify under oath at the state probe and repeat today’s statements?” He urged Attorney Seo to “stop lying behind the scenes and appear as a witness at the state investigation.”

Spokesman Kim Ki-pyo replied in a written briefing: “Even if, hypothetically, the lawyer pleaded for leniency, prosecutors’ duty is to refuse and investigate according to principle. Instead of spouting sophistry outside, just come to the state probe and tell the truth.”

Starting April 3, the committee will begin receiving institutional reports.

Scheduled reports include: the Ssangbangwool North Korea remittance case on April 3; on April 7, reports on alleged corruption in the Daejang-dong development, alleged corruption in the Wirye New Town development, allegations of bribery involving former Democratic Research Institute deputy director Kim Yong, and allegations of false reporting intended to defame former President Yoon Suk Yeol; and on April 9, reports on the West Sea public official shooting and allegations of manipulated statistics, including those related to real estate.

On April 14 at 10 a.m., the committee will hold a hearing on the alleged fabricated indictment in the Ssangbangwool remittance case. On April 16 at 10 a.m., hearings will address the alleged fabricated indictments in the Daejang-dong and Wirye New Town cases and the case involving former deputy director Kim Yong.

On April 21 at 10 a.m., hearings will cover the West Sea public official shooting and allegations of manipulated statistics. On April 28 at 10 a.m., the committee will hold a comprehensive hearing. Then, on April 30 at 2 p.m., it plans to adopt the investigative report and vote on filing charges for absent witnesses and perjury.

Rep. Park Sung-joon said the committee will typically meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but if the plenary session meets on a Thursday, the committee has agreed with the People Power Party to hold sessions on Friday instead.

The Democratic Party will also operate a tip center linked via a popup on the party website starting March 30.

“We will conduct a fact-centered state probe to show how political prosecutors manipulated testimony and evidence, pressured cooperative witnesses, and provided leniency to one another,” Rep. Lee said.

On summoning Han Dong-hoon — the former justice minister under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration and a former People Power Party leader — Rep. Park said it would better serve the committee to summon the responsible prosecutors for questioning. He added that Han appears to be “descending into a political ronin, abandoned by his party and flailing about.”

Rep. Lee reiterated that the probe will focus on facts and warned against turning it into a partisan spectacle. “We believe former leader Han is behind attempts to politicize this investigation. He should come to his senses,” he said.