"Eunsu-mi Retrial Remand"… Prosecution Says "Supreme Court Ruling Is Unfair"

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] In the retrial of Eun Su-mi, the mayor of Seongnam, who was sentenced to disqualification for violating the Political Funds Act but was revived by the Supreme Court ruling, the prosecution argued that "the Supreme Court ruling is unjust."

On the 18th, at the retrial held by the Criminal Division 2 of Suwon High Court (Presiding Judge Shim Dam), the prosecution stated, "We appealed the sentence as inappropriate for the entire criminal facts."

Earlier, the Supreme Court's 2nd Division (Presiding Justice Ahn Cheolsang) overturned the original trial's ruling that sentenced Mayor Eun to a fine of 3 million won on July 9 and sent the case back to Suwon High Court. This was on the grounds that the second trial's increase of the fine was illegal because the prosecution did not specify the reasons for the inappropriate sentencing regarding the guilty part of the first trial's ruling.

However, the prosecution argued that "the Supreme Court judged that there was no proper appeal by the prosecution regarding the guilty part, and therefore the second trial's increase of the sentence violated the principle of prohibition of disadvantageous changes," claiming that the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the original ruling was erroneous.

In particular, they claimed, "It was not an inappropriate sentencing based on acquittal, but rather that the acquittal and guilty verdicts were closely connected, and the acquittal judgment influenced the guilty verdict, thus providing a proper reason for inappropriate sentencing," and "the appeal for inappropriate sentencing concerns the entire criminal facts, both guilty and not guilty."

The prosecution requested a fine of 1.5 million won, the same as the original sentence requested for Mayor Eun. If an elected official is sentenced to a fine of 1 million won or more for violating the Political Funds Act, their election is invalidated.

Mayor Eun, in her final statement, said, "Since 2018, I have sincerely participated in all investigations and trial procedures by the police and prosecution, and I believe the truth will be revealed," adding, "However, standing in court for any reason is deeply regrettable to the citizens who elected me, and I sincerely apologize."

The sentencing date will be held on the 16th of next month.

Meanwhile, Mayor Eun was prosecuted on charges of receiving vehicle conveniences 95 times from Koma Trade, represented by Mr. Lee, a former member of an organized crime group in the Seongnam area, from June 2016 to May 2017 for her political activities.