Park Chan-dae "Gwak Sang-do's 5 Billion Won Not Bribery? Absurd Verdict"

Sang-do Kwak, Acquitted of Bribery in First Trial
"Would He Have Been Acquitted If He Weren't a Former Prosecutor?"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Joo-hee] Former lawmaker Kwak Sang-do, who was indicted on charges of receiving about 5 billion won in bribes through his son from the Daejang-dong gang, was acquitted in the first trial. In response, Park Chan-dae, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized, "Yugeommuje (If the prosecution has power, there is no crime; if the prosecution has no power, there is crime)."

On the 8th, Park posted on Facebook, "The 5 billion won retirement pay is not a bribe," and said, "If the prosecution had conducted a proper investigation, such an absurd verdict would not have come out. Would former lawmaker Kwak have been acquitted if he were not a former prosecutor?" expressing doubt.

Former People Power Party lawmaker Kwak Sang-do, accused of receiving bribes as severance pay for his son from the Daejang-dong group, is attending the first trial sentencing hearing related to violations of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 8th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

He continued, "They cover up existing crimes and desperately try to fabricate nonexistent crimes," and said, "It has become clear that the prosecution will not properly investigate former special prosecutor Park Young-soo or the '5 Billion Club' case," adding, "The special prosecutor is the answer."

On that day, the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 22 (Presiding Judge Lee Joon-cheol) acquitted former lawmaker Kwak, who was indicted on charges of receiving 5 billion won (2.5 billion won after taxes, etc.) in bribes in the form of his son's retirement pay and bonuses from the Daejang-dong gang.

The court acknowledged that the 5 billion won retirement pay was unusual and recognized the connection between the Daejang-dong project and former lawmaker Kwak's duties, but judged that it was difficult to consider it a bribe since the son neither delivered money to Kwak nor spent money for him.

However, the court found Kwak guilty of violating the Political Funds Act by receiving 50 million won in political funds from lawyer Nam Wook ahead of the 2016 20th general election and sentenced him to a fine of 8 million won. The court also ordered the confiscation of 50 million won from Kwak.