Police Conduct Third Search in Investigation of Lee Jin-sook's Corporate Card Misuse

The Daejeon Yuseong Police have confirmed that they conducted a third search related to allegations of corporate card misuse by Lee Jin-sook, the Chairperson of the Korea Communications Commission (방송통신위원회), during her tenure as president of Daejeon MBC. The police are investigating claims that she used the corporate card for personal expenses at various locations.

Lee, who served as president of Daejeon MBC from March 2015 to January 2018, is suspected of causing financial harm to the company through unauthorized personal use of the corporate card. In late July of last year, members of the Democratic Party, part of the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, visited Daejeon MBC for an on-site verification of the 'corporate card allegations' and subsequently reported Lee to the police.

Civic groups, including the National Union of Media Workers and the Citizens' Coalition for Democratic Media, have claimed that Lee spent approximately 142.79 million KRW on the corporate card, frequently using it at high-end hotels and restaurants on weekends and holidays, indicating personal use. They filed a complaint against her for corporate card misuse on July 31 of last year.

In January, four months after the complaint, police executed searches at Daejeon MBC and the administrative office of the Graduate School of Media at Sogang University, where Lee was enrolled during her presidency at Daejeon MBC. Reports suggest that the police found records of her using the corporate card at a bakery near the university.

In response to the allegations during her confirmation hearing last year, Lee denied any wrongdoing, stating that she used the card within the set limits and in accordance with internal regulations, with detailed documentation handled by staff. A representative from the Yuseong Police stated that they are continuing to investigate whether the corporate card was used for personal purposes at the previously mentioned locations, but could not disclose further details as the investigation is ongoing.