[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The prosecution investigation team that indicted former Deputy Minister of Justice Kim Hak-ui on charges of sexual bribery and bribery has refuted the Supreme Court's ruling that "there is a possibility that the testimony was changed due to prosecution's coaxing or threats."
On the 10th, the investigation team issued a statement after the Supreme Court ruling on the case of former Deputy Minister Kim, emphasizing that "the prior interview with the witness was a lawful measure based on Article 189 of the Prosecution Case Affairs Regulations" and "there was no coaxing or pressure applied to the witness."
They also stated, "We will do our best to prove guilt in the retrial after remand."
The Supreme Court's Third Division sent former Deputy Minister Kim's bribery case back to the Seoul High Court on the same day, pointing out the possibility that the testimony of construction businessman Choi Mo, which was the basis for the guilty verdict on Kim's 'sponsor bribery,' was reversed by the prosecution.
The court said, "It is difficult to exclude the possibility that Choi changed his statement under the influence of coaxing, pressure, inducement, or suggestion by the investigative agency during the process of being summoned and interviewed by the prosecution," and ordered that "(the prosecution) must prove that there was no coaxing or pressure on the witness."
Previously, the appellate court ruled guilty, judging that Choi initially did not testify out of concern that the celebrity son would be involved in a scandal, but reversed his testimony after the prosecution presented related evidence such as remittance details.
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