“You Have Been Defended – Episode 634 (634/641)”
“Yes. It says L&B. Didn’t Koh Sang-jun himself say it was his company? But why is L&B’s name on a scholarship program sponsorship he only permitted and hasn’t been involved with since?”
“…….”
“You really haven’t been involved?”
At my question, Koh Sang-jun sighed and placed his clasped hands on the desk.
“Attorney.”
“Special Prosecutor.”
“……Ah, my mistake. Special Prosecutor.”
He emphasized the words ‘Special Prosecutor’.
“It’s true that L&B is mine, but I didn’t manage it myself. Don’t you think it’s better to entrust management to an employee with more relevant knowledge than me, Special Prosecutor?”
“So?”
“That’s why I honestly don’t know why L&B’s name is there.”
“Do you think that makes sense?”
“If I had to guess, before L&B closed, the employees in charge often asked if they could move a certain amount of funds because it was necessary for various procedures. At that time, I told them to handle it without asking me every time if there were no problems.”
[Lie]
Of course.
Koh Sang-jun even took a long time to consider and calculate before finally deciding to hand over one of the paper companies holding RND’s shares to Kim Chan-young.
Is it even plausible that such a man would tell his staff to handle things without asking him every time?
“So, are you saying that L&B became a sponsor of the scholarship program at the employee’s discretion, completely independent of Koh Sang-jun’s intentions?”
“I’m not sure if it was the employee’s intention, but it wasn’t mine. If I had known it would be used for that, I wouldn’t have allowed it.”
“Then who were the employees who helped manage L&B?”
Koh Sang-jun looked up at the ceiling and remained silent.
You can consider this a warm-up to answering that he doesn’t remember.
He did the same thing to the Special Prosecutor in his previous life.
Huh Min-woo told me that Koh Yoon-soo also learned this trick.
“……It’s been a while since the company closed, so I don’t remember well.”
“Isn’t that a corporation with at least tens of billions of won [tens of millions of US dollars]? It was even used to pay political funds to a presidential candidate. Didn’t you entrust it to someone you had deep trust in?”
“…….”
“In a situation where revealing L&B’s existence could cause significant problems for you personally, are you saying you don’t remember who you entrusted with the work and gave access to?”
The scenario would be perfect if he blamed Kim Soo-chan and Gong Won-ho.
It would be natural if Kim Soo-chan and Gong Won-ho, who were in charge of L&B, established RND as a successor because they thought the model was too good to waste after Koh Sang-jun closed L&B.
However, in that case, the special investigation team would verify in various ways whether the two, who were not at their current positions at the time, were really in a position to hold the keys to Koh Sang-jun’s vault.
If even one hole is found, the false statement will be exposed.
That’s why he doesn’t lie and just says, ‘I don’t remember’.
“I have so many people passing by me. It’s difficult to remember them all individually.”
As I listened to his answer, I took out one of the files stacked on my side and spread it on the desk.
It was a file organizing the registration details along with photos of buildings and land.
I pointed to the first photo among them.
“Do you know where this is?”
“I don’t know.”
“It’s Yojung. The place where the children of the House of Angels were sexually exploited.”
“……I see.”
“The ownership of the Yojung building and land has changed now, but it was originally KDL Company. KDL Company was also the builder of this building. It’s a company that Koh Sang-jun’s L&B has management control over. Why did you buy this land, and why did you build Yojung?”
“…….”
I turned the page to the next one.
“Do you know where this is?”
“……I don’t know.”
“It’s where the victims of the House of Angels lived. The Japanese police rescued the victims of the House of Angels in a different location, but they originally lived here. They demolished the building. But the registration details remain. KDL Company purchased the existing land and building. Why did you buy it?”
“…….”
“You don’t remember.”
I turned to the next page again.
“Do you know where this is?”
“I don’t know well.”
“It’s Okashima Hospital in Japan. The hospital director is Oda Satoshi’s younger brother, Oda Nobuo. Don’t you know who he is?”
“I don’t know.”
“Originally, Onodera Masao’s grandson, Onodera Hiroki’s surgery was scheduled to take place here. With the victims Park and Im Hyun-il, and the Wooshin Hospital medical staff going to Japan.”
“…….”
“This Okashima Hospital land was also owned by KDL Company. A fairly large hospital was built on this land, can the landowner not know this? According to data from Japan, Okashima Hospital has been paying huge rent to KDL Company, how can you not know?”
“…….”
“The money spent to purchase the land and buildings mentioned so far would be at least 10 billion won [approximately 7.5 million US dollars], even if estimated conservatively. You spent as much as 10 billion won, can Koh Sang-jun not know the detailed contents? Is 10 billion won small change that staff can move around at will without Koh Sang-jun’s permission?”
“…….”
“Koh Sang-jun, are you willing to cooperate with the investigation?”
“Of course.”
Koh Sang-jun answered slowly.
“Then why didn’t you respond to the police’s request to voluntarily submit documents related to L&B, and received a search and seizure? The Special Prosecutor will determine whether 10 billion won is money that staff can move around at will without Koh Sang-jun’s permission. Submit all documents related to L&B.”
“I disposed of all related documents with the closure of the business, so I couldn’t submit them. It’s the same now.”
[Lie]
That means there are still materials left somewhere.
I really wanted to find this and see what Koh Sang-jun would say, what expression he would make.
“Did you get rid of everything without even keeping the retention period? Is it for the purpose of destroying evidence?”
“……It was the staff’s mistake.”
There’s no use in pushing him any further anyway.
I decided to change the subject of the question.
“Im Hyun-il, whose real name is Hayashi Kenichi, originally belonged to Shingaku University Hospital, but he worked here as a thoracic surgeon. This is a fact confirmed by Japanese investigative authorities. And Im Hyun-il was at Yongin Wooshin Hospital before moving to Seoul Wooshin Hospital, and was going to perform Onodera Hiroki’s heart transplant surgery. He seems to have a very deep connection with Koh Sang-jun, what is your relationship with Im Hyun-il?”
“We have no relationship.”
“Looking at Im Hyun-il’s career, it seems as if he has been working at Wooshin Hospital continuously since obtaining his specialist qualification. But Im Hyun-il’s other name, Hayashi Kenichi, seems to have been working at Shingaku University Hospital continuously. Do you think one person, no matter how close, can work like this, going back and forth between two countries?”
“…….”
Koh Sang-jun seemed to have decided to shut his mouth completely.
“Do you think it’s possible?”
“…….”
“This isn’t a statement. I’m just asking for your opinion. Answer comfortably.”
“I don’t know much about that, so I don’t know well.”
“I’m curious how someone who doesn’t even know such a simple thing managed such a large company. I see. Then I’ll tell you. It’s physically impossible.”
I turned the page once more.
This time, a page filled with photos appeared.
“Do you know what this is?”
“I don’t know.”
“Don’t just say you don’t know as an automatic reflex, check it carefully.”
Lee Ye-jin, who had been focusing on typing, also felt annoyed and looked over Koh Sang-jun above the laptop screen and said.
“……It seems to be bronze plates engraved with people’s names, companies, or organizations.”
“Yes. It’s the Hall of Fame in the main hall of Shingaku University Hospital. The names of high-value donors are engraved. There are familiar names, right? Oda Satoshi is also there.”
I said, circling the photos with a red name pen.
Then I pointed to the bronze plate at the very end of the bottom row.
“Read this once.”
“…….”
“Read it.”
Koh Sang-jun bit his lip.
His dry lips cracked and blood showed.
“It’s the same as what you read earlier, can’t you suddenly recognize it?”
“It says L&B.”
Koh Sang-jun answered in a grinding voice.
“Why is L&B on the list of high-value donors at Shingaku University Hospital?”
“……I don’t know well.”
“You made a donation, so you were listed in the Hall of Fame? Wooshin Hospital also has a Hall of Fame. Do they just put names up without donations?”
“…….”
“Ah, is this also something that an employee you don’t remember said they would make a donation and then did it without Koh Sang-jun’s involvement? Koh Sang-jun, isn’t L&B a paper company established to embezzle company funds? Why did you make a donation? Is a donation necessary for managing slush funds? Is this an area where staff can do as they please without Koh Sang-jun’s permission?”
“…….”
“Didn’t you make some kind of deal with Im Hyun-il?”
“…….”
“Among the medical staff arrested at Libon Medical Center, there were Japanese nationals. Coincidentally, they belonged to Shingaku University Hospital. Koh Sang-jun, you initially said you didn’t know why L&B’s name was included in the House of Angels scholarship program sponsorship. You also said you had no idea that human trafficking was happening through the House of Angels scholarship program. But why did you donate to Shingaku University Hospital, where those involved in illegal organ transplants were? Why did you forge Im Hyun-il’s career so that he worked at Wooshin Hospital while he was working at Okashima Hospital and Shingaku University Hospital?”
“…….”
I cleared the file that had been spread out on the table and spread out the next file.
“Former National Tax Service Commissioner Pyeon Ik-soo testified that he received 200 million won [approximately 150,000 US dollars] in cash from Koh Sang-jun, one painting worth 500 million won [approximately 375,000 US dollars] through Umi Gallery, and met Koh Sang-jun several times at the Japanese Yojung. Koh Sang-jun, do you remember where you were on May 23, 2009?”
“It’s difficult to remember because it was a long time ago.”
“Yes. So I found out that you were in Japan.”
I pointed to the parts on the document where Pyeon Ik-soo’s Japanese entry and exit records and Koh Sang-jun’s Japanese entry and exit records overlapped, highlighted with a fluorescent pen.
“These are the days when Pyeon Ik-soo visited Yojung and met Koh Sang-jun. Pyeon Ik-soo said he didn’t remember everything, but he admitted it after looking at the ledger. And during this period, Koh Sang-jun was also in Japan. May 23, 2009, is one of those days.”
“…….”
“Let’s look at the next page too. These are the departure records from the time when Ban Jeong-hyun, the former Financial Supervisory Service Director who has now resigned, confessed to receiving sexual favors from Koh Sang-jun at Yojung. Koh Sang-jun was also in Japan on this day. Would it be just these two?”
“…….”
“Even though only a very small number of people written in the ledger have confessed, they overlap so much that it’s cumbersome to list them all. What do you think about this point?”
“…….”
“Is it a coincidence? Do you think coincidences can overlap this much?”
“…….”
I cleared the spread-out file and spread another file in front of him.
“These are the statements of the victims of the House of Angels who were rescued in Japan. 48 out of 56 people saw Koh Sang-jun at Yojung and remember him clearly. They saw Koh Sang-jun’s face in photos a lot when they were living in the House of Angels, and they saw him in person, so they couldn’t not recognize him. What about the other 8 people who didn’t see Koh Sang-jun? No. They either thought it couldn’t possibly be Koh Sang-jun, or the experience of being sexually exploited at Yojung was so shocking that they don’t remember well.”
“…….”
“Even so, is the virtuous Koh Sang-jun just betrayed because he trusted his subordinates? You had no idea that human trafficking was happening, and you don’t even remember who those subordinates are? The only ones you remember are Kim Soo-chan and Gong Won-ho? Is Kim Mi-ja a complete stranger who falsely accused Koh Sang-jun?”
“…….”
“Answer.”
Koh Sang-jun squeezed his eyes shut.
His lips were trembling.
“Aren’t you going to answer?”
When I asked once more, Koh Sang-jun suddenly squeezed his eyes shut and staggered.
“Chairman!”
The lawyer next to him quickly grabbed Koh Sang-jun.
What a pathetic act.
“Chairman, are you okay?”
At the lawyer’s question, Koh Sang-jun slowly raised his trembling hand.
It was a gesture that he was okay, but the lawyer seemed very worried about the sickly Koh Sang-jun.
“Special Prosecutor.”
The lawyer carefully opened his mouth.
“Koh Sang-jun is also elderly and was originally arrested while hospitalized for treatment. It is judged that it will be difficult to continue the investigation because his health has deteriorated. I would like you to finish here today.”
“Is that so.”
“……Yes.”
“Koh Sang-jun has been continuously refusing to testify, so there was no testimony favorable to Koh Sang-jun. If you don’t mind this point, we will finish the investigation here today and finalize the suspect interrogation record.”
Anyway, Koh Sang-jun will have to be investigated several more times, not just today.
Because this is just the first investigation into major crimes that have caused public outrage.
As for favorable testimony, he’ll put his heads together with the Taekwang lawyers and write a novel for the next investigation.
Koh Sang-jun had a brief conversation with his lawyer and then agreed to end the investigation here.
“Special Prosecutor.”
While I was receiving signatures on the documents necessary to end the investigation, Kang Min-jae came into the investigation room with two documents.
After skimming through the contents, I handed one of them to Koh Sang-jun.
“Koh Sang-jun. We have requested an arrest warrant due to the seriousness of the crime, destruction of evidence, and concern for harming witnesses. Check the schedule for the warrant hearing and wait in the detention center before attending tomorrow.”
We have not yet exceeded the 48 hours that we can detain him under the arrest warrant.
And since we have requested an arrest warrant, it is natural to be detained in a detention center until the warrant hearing.
There’s no good in ending the investigation early.
“A Ministry of Justice vehicle will be waiting downstairs.”
At my words, Koh Sang-jun and the lawyer left the investigation room without saying a word.
Then Kang Min-jae looked at the remaining document in my hand and asked.
“Should I not tell him that a search and seizure warrant has been issued for Koh Sang-jun’s house? It seems like he’s going to challenge the right to participate in the seizure.”
Around the time the investigation was coming to an end, the court issued a search and seizure warrant for Koh Sang-jun’s home.
Looking at the time, it seems like the investigators have just arrived in front of the house or are in the middle of the search and seizure.
“In practice, the right to participate of a suspect who has been arrested or detained is sometimes transferred to a lawyer or family member. And the right to participate of the person being seized is excluded when urgency is required. He already destroyed evidence once during the Wooshin headquarters search, so there’s a good reason. Isn’t this concern about destroying evidence a typical case of urgency?”
The search and seizure of Koh Sang-jun’s home should have been done before the special investigation started, but it was delayed because it took a long time to be converted into a suspect.
They have already had enough time to destroy the evidence.
“I’m worried because I don’t know what they’ll find fault with and say it’s illegally collected evidence.”
“It’s okay. Who went to the scene?”
“Chief Kim Jong-seok and Hyung Min-woo. And the investigators.”
“Really? Is there one car left?”
“Why?”
“I’m going too.”
How can I be left out of making Koh Sang-jun’s house a mess?