Jung Jin-sang's Side "Cannot Accept Prosecutor's Indictment"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] The legal team representing Jeong Jinsang, former Chief of Political Coordination at the Democratic Party of Korea's representative office, criticized the prosecution's indictment as an "unacceptable decision."

On the 9th, Jeong's legal team stated, "Although Jeong was on terms to meet with Yoo Donggyu, former Planning Director of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation, outside, deliberately going to an office equipped with CCTV and a house where family members reside to give money defies common sense." They also argued that it is highly likely that Yoo used the money received from lawyer Nam Wook and others to repay personal debts.

The legal team said, "The reason Yoo gave the bribe was to request favors related to various projects promoted by the corporation," adding, "It defies common sense that a public official would prepare personal funds to give bribes for official duties." They further stated, "We will appeal to the court, the last bastion of human rights, in the main trial and seek acquittal."

Jeong was indicted on charges of using confidential information related to Seongnam City and Seongnam Urban Development Corporation from 2013 to 2018 to have the Daejang-dong group selected as the developer for the Wirye New Town development project, enabling Hoban Construction, which carried out the construction, to obtain development profits of approximately 21 billion KRW. He is also charged with receiving a total of 240 million KRW in seven installments from Yoo between 2013 and 2020 as a bribe in exchange for facilitating various project promotions.

He was also indicted for allegedly agreeing to share 70 billion KRW (after tax 42.8 billion KRW), which accounts for 24.5% of the common stock shares of Daejang-dong private developer Kim Man-bae, as a reward for providing preferential treatment in project selection with Kim Yong, Deputy Director of the Democratic Research Institute, and Yoo.

Jeong is also accused of instructing Yoo to throw his mobile phone out the window when the prosecution's search and seizure was imminent on September 29 last year (obstruction of evidence). Yoo actually threw the mobile phone containing relevant evidence out the window.