The lawyers of former main opposition Democratic Party(DP) leader Song Young-gil have denied Song's involvement in alleged bribery ahead of the DP's 2021 party convention.

During the first preparatory hearing in Song’s trial at the Seoul Central District Court on Friday, Song’s legal counsel said that the former party chief was not part of the distribution of cash envelopes to DP lawmakers ahead of the party race which Song won.

The lawyers said Song has nothing to do with the issuance of cash, saying the former lawmaker neither gave nor received such envelopes. 

Song is accused of involvement in the distribution of the envelopes totaling 66-point-five million won, or around 51-thousand U.S. dollars, to 20 sitting DP lawmakers and regional party heads between March and April 2021.

Song’s lawyers also denied the allegations that their client took illegal political funds totaling 763 million won from seven people through an external sponsor group between January 2020 and December 2021.

The Seoul Central District Court plans to hold another preparatory hearing on February 16 to better determine the views of the prosecution and Song’s legal counsel. 

Song was indicted on charges of bribery and violating the political fund law on January 4.