Kim Hak-ui Retrial Remanded to Seoul High Court Criminal Division 3

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] The appellate court panel assigned to handle the retrial of former Deputy Minister of Justice Kim Hak-ui has been decided.

According to the legal community on the 16th, the Seoul High Court assigned the retrial of former Deputy Minister Kim, who was prosecuted on charges including bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, to the Criminal Division 3 (Presiding Judges Park Yeon-wook, Kim Kyu-dong, and Lee Hee-jun).

The Criminal Division 3 is a panel dedicated to corruption cases. It is handling cases such as former Democratic Party of Korea Busan Saha-eul District Chairman Lee Sang-ho, who was sentenced to prison in the first trial for illegal political fund receipt charges, and former lawmaker Hong Moon-jong, who was sentenced to prison in the first trial for embezzlement and bribery charges.

Former Deputy Minister Kim, who was indicted on multiple charges of receiving money and valuables, was found guilty in the appellate trial of receiving 43 million won from construction businessman Choi, who acted as his "sponsor" from 2003 to 2011. In October last year, he was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison, fined 5 million won, ordered to pay a fine of 43 million won, and was taken into custody in court.

However, the Supreme Court sent the case back to the Seoul High Court on the 10th of this month, ruling that the prosecution must prove that Choi's change in testimony against former Deputy Minister Kim was not due to pressure or inducement by prosecutors. Kim was released on bail on the same day.