'Sewol Ferry Report Manipulation' Kim Ki-chun Receives Suspended Sentence in Appeal Trial (Comprehensive)

Former Chiefs Kim Jang-soo and Kim Kwan-jin's Original Court Ruling Upheld
Bereaved Families' Group Criticizes as "Insult to Victims" Verdict

Kim Ki-choon, former Chief Presidential Secretary [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] Former Presidential Chief of Staff Kim Ki-chun, who was indicted on charges of manipulating the time and method of the Sewol ferry disaster after the fact, was sentenced to probation again in the second trial.

The Seoul High Court Criminal Division 13 (Presiding Judge Gu Hoe-geun) on the afternoon of the 9th sentenced former Chief of Staff Kim Ki-chun, who was indicted for falsifying official documents, to one year in prison with a two-year probation, the same as in the first trial. Former Blue House National Security Office Chiefs Kim Jang-soo and Kim Kwan-jin, who were also indicted, were acquitted as in the original trial.

The court stated, "The defendant (former Chief Kim Ki-chun)'s actions can only be seen as writing false facts to avoid public criticism of the Blue House," and judged that "the first trial's decision was appropriate."

The court also maintained the acquittal for former Chiefs Kim Jang-soo and Kim Kwan-jin, stating there was no factual or legal error in the original judgment.

The families of the Sewol ferry victims who observed the verdict in court expressed their disappointment.

Kim Kwang-bae, Secretary General of the 4·16 Sewol Ferry Disaster Families Association, held a press conference immediately after the verdict, saying, "The ruling insulted the victims of the Sewol ferry disaster," and urged, "The prosecution must definitely appeal against the three."

Attorney Lee Jeong-il, a member of the 'Sewol Ferry Disaster National Accusation Legal Representatives,' said, "Those who should have acted as the control tower in a national crisis failed to do so properly and later fabricated false information to avoid responsibility," and criticized, "The sentencing of former Chief Kim Ki-chun should have been heavier and sufficient."

Former Blue House National Security Office Director Kim Kwan-jin Photo by Yonhap News

Former Chief Kim Ki-chun was tried on charges of submitting false information to the National Assembly regarding whether former President Park Geun-hye received real-time reports of the situation during the Sewol ferry disaster on April 16, 2014, and the time of the first telephone report.

Former Chief Kim Kwan-jin was charged with damaging official documents by unlawfully changing the presidential directive (Basic Guidelines for National Crisis Management), which stated that the Blue House was the control tower for national crisis management, without following proper procedures.

According to the prosecution's investigation, the written report reached the presidential residence where former President Park was staying at around 10:19 to 10:20 a.m. on the day of the accident, and former Chief Kim Jang-soo made the first telephone report to former President Park at 10:22 a.m.

The first trial recognized former Chief Kim Ki-chun's charges as guilty and sentenced him to one year in prison with two years probation. Former Chiefs Kim Jang-soo and Kim Kwan-jin were acquitted on the grounds that they did not recognize the falsity or due to lack of evidence.