[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] It has been confirmed that Prosecutor Han Dong-hoon was selected as a witness in the trial of former Roh Moo-hyun Foundation Director Yoo Si-min, who was prosecuted for defaming Prosecutor Han's honor.
According to the legal community on the 15th, Chief Judge Ji Sang-mok of the Criminal Division 7 at the Seoul Western District Court selected Prosecutor Han as a witness in Yoo's trial last month. Previously, the prosecution had requested Prosecutor Han to be a witness.
However, although the court sent a witness summons to Prosecutor Han on the 9th of last month, it was not delivered on the 15th due to "closed door absence" (the door was locked and no one was present). Since the summons was not served to Prosecutor Han, it is uncertain whether Prosecutor Han and former Director Yoo will actually face each other in court.
Former Director Yoo was indicted in May on charges of defamation by radio for statements made in December 2019 on the YouTube channel "Alileo" and in media interviews, alleging that the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Anti-Corruption and Strong Crime Division illegally tracked his and the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation's accounts at the end of 2019. At the time Yoo mentioned, Prosecutor Han was serving as the head of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Anti-Corruption and Strong Crime Division.
Yoo's side reportedly denied the charges at the first preparatory hearing on June 1, stating, "In context, the criticism was directed at the prosecution and other state agencies, not personally at Prosecutor Han."
Former Director Yoo stepped down from his position as director of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation yesterday after completing his three-year term.
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