Choi Eun-soon, the mother-in-law of Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, who was sentenced to prison in the first trial for illegally establishing a nursing hospital and receiving nursing benefits, is attending the appellate sentencing hearing held on the afternoon of the 25th at the Seoul High Court in Seocho-gu. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Seung-jin] Choi Eun-soon, the mother-in-law of Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, who was indicted for illegally establishing a nursing hospital and receiving nursing care benefits, will face a Supreme Court judgment.
According to the legal community on the 28th, the prosecution submitted a notice of appeal to the Seoul High Court Criminal Division 5 (Presiding Judges Yoon Kang-yeol, Park Jae-young, Kim Sang-chul), the appellate court for Choi's case.
Choi was non-medical personnel but was indicted without detention in November 2020 on charges of illegally establishing and operating a nursing hospital in February 2013 and receiving approximately 2.29 billion won in nursing care benefits from the National Health Insurance Service until 2015.
The key issue was whether Choi could be considered a partner with the three main perpetrators, including Joo Mo, who established a medical foundation and set up a nursing hospital in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. The first trial court found Choi guilty in July last year, sentencing her to three years in prison, the same as the prosecution's demand, and detained her in court.
Choi appealed the first trial verdict and was released on bail in September last year, continuing the trial without detention.
However, the appellate court ruled that Choi and Joo were not accomplices. The court stated, "The defendant did not enter into a partnership agreement with Joo, nor was she aware of the circumstances that Joo acquired the hospital with accomplices and agreed to split the profits 50-50," and acquitted her.
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