Inventory sales in the warehouse in Dandong, China
Gyeonggi-do demanded payment of 5 billion won for North Korea projects
Former Chairman Kim Seong-tae “It’s an opportunity to be patriotic”
Lee Hwa-young, former Vice Governor of Gyeonggi-do Province, proposed to the Ssangbangwool Group to “sell the Ssangbangul underwear to China and use the money to finance the project” in order to finance the 5 billion won smart farm project that Gyeonggi-do promised to North Korea in October 2018. confirmed on the 27th. In addition, it was found that the information pamphlet for the ‘1st Asia-Pacific Peace International Convention’ held by Gyeonggi-do in November 2018, inviting North Koreans, about a month after Lee’s proposal, included an advertisement for ‘TRY’ under the double bell. do. Former deputy governor Lee and Gyeonggi-do officials have denied any connection with the remittance of the double drop to North Korea, but the prosecution believes that the two sides continued close discussions through the medium of the ‘double drop’.
According to Maeil Business News on the 27th, Lee went to North Korea at the end of October 2018 and met Kim Seong-hye, head of the North Korean United Front Strategy Office, and returned after promising a 5 billion won smart farm project in Hwanghae Province. Shortly thereafter, former vice-governor Lee met with Bang Yong-chul, vice chairman of the Ssangbangul Group, and Ahn Bu-soo, chairman of the Asia-Pacific Peace Exchange Association (APAC), at some place and said, “They say that the Ssangbangul clothing warehouse in Dandong, China has an inventory of underwear worth 10 million dollars (approximately 13.1 billion won). It is said that he came up with the idea, “How about selling the underwear to China to raise the cost of the smart farm?”
It is known that the reason why the former deputy governor learned about the stock situation of Ssangbangwool’s underwear was that Kim Seong-tae, former chairman of the Ssangbangwool Group, informed him of this fact. When former Chairman Kim heard that former deputy governor Lee was visiting North Korea in October 2018, he told him, “Since Ssangbangul has an inventory of underwear, I intend to use it for good. It is known that he proposed, “Isn’t it an opportunity to be patriotic?”
Afterwards, an advertisement for ‘TRY Heat Up’ appeared in the pamphlet of the ‘1st Asia-Pacific Peace International Convention’ co-hosted by Gyeonggi-do and the Asia-Pacific Association in November of that year, and the Ssangbangbang Group was included as the sponsor of the contest. This is the part that reveals the circumstances that Gyeonggi-do and the Ssangbangwool Group tried to succeed in North Korea business through the sale of underwear until this time. However, as a result of the review, the inner business had to be sold at a ‘trash price’, so it was reported that it was put on hold with the conclusion that “if it is cashed out, it will not reach 5 billion won.”
On the 26th, Suwon District Prosecutor’s Office (Chief Prosecutor Kim Young-nam), which is intensively investigating the close relationship between former deputy governor Lee Hwa-young and the Ssangbangwool group, summoned and investigated former vice-governor Lee, who is currently in custody for the third time on the 26th, on charges of violating the Political Fund Act. . Former vice-governor Lee is said to be still sticking to the stance that “we have never consulted with the Ssangbangwool Group on projects in North Korea.” The prosecution plans to continue an intensive investigation by calling the former deputy governor twice a week on Wednesdays and Sundays.
