Anchor: The former chief of the main opposition party, Song Young-gil, on Tuesday pressured prosecutors probing a cash bribery scandal surrounding his election as party chief in the 2021 Democratic Party(DP) convention. Without an official summons from the prosecution, Song appeared for an interrogation session that had not been arranged, and as he was turned away, the opposition heavyweight held a news conference right outside to blame the government.
Kim Bum-soo has more.

Report: Mired in a cash bribery scandal, former Democratic Party(DP) chief Song Young-gil showed up at the prosecution on Tuesday to demand an interrogation session.

After investigators refused Song's call for an unscheduled meeting absent an official summons, the opposition heavyweight held a news conference outside the prosecution office surrounded by vocal supporters and detractors alike.

[Sound bite: Former Democratic Party Chair Song Young-gil (Korean-English)] 
"Please do not hurt people around me but arrest Song Young-gil myself. My fellow Koreans, I apologize again for controversies surrounding bribery allegations before the DP convention two years ago."

Song blamed the government for what he called a "politically-motivated probe."

[Sound bite: Former Democratic Party Chair Song Young-gil (Korean-English)] 
"This is based on illegally-obtained evidence… It is unacceptable that they are staging a politically-premeditated investigation two years after the party convention even though I am not in politics now."

The unfolding scandal compelled the former DP chief to return prematurely from France, where he was working as a visiting professor at the ESCP Business School, while also prompting him to leave the party.

Prosecutors believe that Song's campaign officials distributed a total of 94 million won, or some 70-thousand U.S. dollars, in cash envelopes to around 70 party members, including lawmakers, before the 2021 DP party convention. Song was elected as party chairman at the time.

[Sound bite: Former Democratic Party Chair Song Young-gil (Korean-English)]  
(Reporter: “Are you saying that there was no distribution of cash envelopes or you did not know... ?”)
"More than a million people participate in party conventions and as a candidate, I was running all over the country for schedules in 30-minute intervals. There could have been situations that I was not aware of and the prosecution will summon me to probe the case. If there is a problem, they will hold me liable and if I am indicted, I will defend my case in the court."

Investigators suspect that Song himself could have played an active role in distributing the illicit political funds.

The prosecution is analyzing some 30-thousand recordings of telephone conversations of a key party official, seeking proof of the cash bribery scandal.

Prosecutors raided locations linked to officials from Song's 2021 campaign, including the residences of the then-former regional campaign chief and the then-head of the situation room on Monday.

The raid came two days after prosecutors conducted a search and seizure at Song's current and former homes as well as his office, while a recently obtained testimony purports that the distributed funds exceeded the previously claimed amount of 94 million won.
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News.