[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The prosecution has requested a three-year prison sentence for former Blue House Chief of Staff Lee Byung-gi, who was indicted on charges of obstructing the activities of the April 16 Sewol Ferry Disaster Special Investigation Committee (Special Committee).
On the 22nd, during the trial of high-ranking officials from the Park Geun-hye administration on charges of abuse of authority and obstruction of rights at the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 31 (Presiding Judge Lee Jung-min), the prosecution stated, "The defendants obstructed the operation of the Special Committee, thereby hindering the investigation into the truth of the Sewol Ferry disaster," and requested the sentence accordingly.
The prosecution also requested that former Senior Secretary for Political Affairs Hyun Ki-hwan, former Senior Secretary for Policy Coordination Hyun Jung-taek, and former Senior Secretary for Economic Affairs Ahn Jong-beom each be sentenced to two years and six months in prison.
Former Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Kim Young-seok and former Vice Minister Yoon Hak-bae were each requested to receive two years in prison, while former Senior Secretary for Personnel Affairs Jeong Jin-cheol and former Director of the Ministry of Personnel Innovation Lee Geun-myeon were each requested to receive one year and six months in prison. The sentencing procedure for former Special Committee Vice Chairman Cho Dae-hwan will be conducted separately on the 28th.
In his final statement, former Chief of Staff Lee said, "I only hope that our society will thoroughly review safety issues in the future so that such an unfortunate disaster never happens again," and added, "I earnestly ask the court to carefully examine the case and make a fair judgment."
The defense for former Senior Secretary Hyun Ki-hwan also argued, "The defendant explicitly declared after assuming the position of Senior Secretary for Political Affairs that he would not be involved in any matters related to the Special Committee," and added, "It is against common sense to claim that he conspired to obstruct the committee under such circumstances."
Lee and others are accused of attempting to obstruct the Special Committee in November 2015 when it tried to pass a resolution to investigate President Park Geun-hye’s whereabouts during the seven hours on the day of the Sewol Ferry disaster. It was investigated that they halted the appointment process of the Special Committee’s truth investigation director, which was pending Prime Minister’s approval, through the Ministry of Personnel Innovation, and deliberately did not dispatch 17 public officials from 10 government ministries.
Lee is also accused of forcibly ending the Special Committee’s activities by completely halting discussions on extending its activity period, recalling dispatched public officials, and withholding budget execution.
This case is the second indictment filed by the prosecution related to the Park Geun-hye administration’s deliberate obstruction of the Special Committee’s investigation. The Sewol Ferry Disaster Special Investigation Unit filed charges in May 2020.
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