[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] Former President Lee Myung-bak was released again six days after being imprisoned following a 17-year prison sentence in the appellate court.
According to the legal community on the 25th, the Seoul High Court Criminal Division 1 (Chief Judges Jeong Jun-young, Song Young-seung, Kang Sang-wook) suspended the execution of imprisonment as Lee filed an appeal against the decision to revoke his bail. The court plans to suspend the execution of detention until the Supreme Court's decision on the bail revocation is made.
However, as when bail was granted last year, the court imposed a condition restricting Lee to remain only at his residence in Nonhyeon-dong, Seoul. According to this decision, former President Lee will be released from the Seoul Eastern Detention Center before midnight on the same day.
Previously, the Seoul High Court Criminal Division 1 sentenced former President Lee to 17 years in prison and a fine of 13 billion won in the appellate ruling, revoked his bail, and re-arrested him in court. Accordingly, Lee was re-incarcerated 350 days after being released on bail on March 6 of last year.
In response, Lee’s legal team filed an appeal against the appellate ruling on the 24th and filed a motion for reconsideration on the same day, claiming that the bail revocation decision and its execution process were illegal. They cited Article 410 of the Criminal Procedure Act, which states that "if an immediate appeal is filed within the period during which it can be filed or if an immediate appeal has been filed, the execution of the relevant trial shall be suspended."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
