Former Democratic Party Lawmaker Lee Gyu-hee Found Not Guilty in Retrial for Violation of Public Official Election Act

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Former Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Gyu-hee, who was indicted for violating the Public Official Election Act and received a fine, was acquitted in the retrial after remand.

The Criminal Division 1 of the Daejeon High Court (Presiding Judge Baek Seung-yeop) acquitted Lee in the retrial on the 18th.

The court stated, "The amount of money the defendant received and the timing of receiving the money was about seven months before the primary election for the candidate nomination in this case," and "It is difficult to evaluate that the money provided to the defendant was directly related to the recommendation of a party candidate."

Lee was indicted on charges of receiving 450,000 won under the pretext of meal expenses from Mr. A, who hoped to run in the August 2017 local elections, asking for help to secure the nomination for the Chungnam Provincial Assembly. The first and second trials sentenced him to a fine of 4 million won.

However, the Supreme Court's 2nd Division (Presiding Justice Kim Sang-hwan) ruled in April, "There is no objective evidence that the defendant had the influence to recommend a candidate unilaterally or to make such a decision regarding the party primary at that time," and "Since Mr. A was not actually selected as a candidate and there was no strategic nomination at that time, the original court misinterpreted the law," sending the case back to the Daejeon High Court.