[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin, Legal Affairs Specialist] Former Future Korea Party (now People Power Party) lawmaker Won Yoo-chul, whose conviction for bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes was finalized, claimed on the 29th, ahead of his imprisonment, that "this was a thoroughly politically targeted investigation."
In a statement released before his incarceration, Won said, "From the prosecution to the Supreme Court ruling, this was not a criminal trial conducted on legal grounds but essentially a political trial."
He added, "Although I was indicted on as many as 13 charges through a sweeping, dust-sweeping style investigation, the only actual prison sentence was for bribery," and insisted, "The bribery charge for which I was found guilty was completely fabricated."
Referring to former Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyung-soo, who was recently re-incarcerated after a Supreme Court guilty verdict, Won expressed his feelings, saying, "In sentencing figures from the ruling party, opposition figures were also lumped together, so I feel the decision was rushed without thorough deliberation, which is disheartening."
He continued, "Honestly, I cannot accept this in my heart," and stated, "I will mobilize all available resources allowed by the system and law, including filing for retrial, to uncover the truth."
On the 21st, the Supreme Court's 2nd Division (Presiding Justice Min Yoo-sook) upheld the lower court's ruling sentencing Won to 1 year and 6 months in prison and a fine of 900,000 won for bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes and violation of the Political Funds Act. The order to confiscate 50 million won was also confirmed.
The charges upheld by the Supreme Court include Won receiving 30 million won from a business owner in another region in January 2013 as a bribe for helping secure a loan from the Korea Development Bank (bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes), receiving 25 million won in illegal political funds under another person's name from local business leaders between April 2011 and March 2012, and illegally disbursing 17 million won in political funds as salary between August 2012 and July 2014.
The prosecution also included allegations that from 2011, in collusion with his aide, Won received 180 million won from four companies in his constituency in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, but both the first and second trials acquitted him of these charges.
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