Court to Hold First Trial on May 19 for Jeong Jin-ung, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office, on 'Special Act on Aggravated Punishment of Officials' Charge of Official Violence'

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] The first trial of Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong Jin-ung of the Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office, who was indicted for assaulting and injuring Prosecutor Han Dong-hoon during a search and seizure, will be held next month.

According to the legal community on the 30th, the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 22 (Presiding Judge Yang Cheol-han) has scheduled the first preparatory hearing for Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong, who was indicted on charges of official assault under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, for the 19th of next month.

Unlike a formal trial, the preparatory hearing does not require the defendant's attendance, so it is uncertain whether Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong will appear in person.

Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong is accused of assaulting and injuring Prosecutor Han during the seizure of Han's mobile phone SIM card on July 29, as part of the investigation into the alleged "prosecutor-media collusion" case.

Article 125 of the Criminal Act stipulates that if a person performing duties related to detention, such as prosecutors or police officers, assaults a criminal suspect, they shall be punished more severely than ordinary assault, with imprisonment of up to five years or disqualification for up to ten years.

Additionally, Article 4-2 (Aggravated Punishment for Arrest, Detention, etc.) Paragraph 1 of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes mandates that if official assault under Article 125 of the Criminal Act causes injury to a person, the offender shall be subject to aggravated punishment of imprisonment for not less than one year.