Park Yong-jin: "5 Billion Won, Kwak Sang-do's Acquittal Does Not Align with Public Legal Sentiment"

"5 Billion Won as 'Industrial Accident Consolation Money'?" Criticism

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] Former People Power Party lawmaker Kwak Sang-do received 5 billion won as retirement money for his son from developers involved in the Daejang-dong project, but the first trial ruled that this could not be considered a bribe. In response, Park Yong-jin, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized the ruling, saying it "does not at all align with the public's sense of justice."

Park Yong-jin, the Democratic Party of Korea's presidential candidate, holds a press conference on preventing factionalism at the National Assembly Communication Office in August last year. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

On the 8th, Park said on social media (SNS), "The judiciary and our judicial system cannot help but feel shocked and disappointed."

He questioned, "'Kwak Sang-do's son, who received 5 billion won due to 'tinnitus and dizziness,' is that really not a bribe?" "Do you really think that money is 'industrial accident consolation money'? Has our judiciary ruled that the 5 billion won Kwak Sang-do's son received from the tears of ordinary people is truly 'legally obtained money'?" He also pointed out, "Although the Kim Yong-gyun Act has been in effect for several years, the average fine imposed on employers in fatal accidents is only 6.92 million won."

Earlier that day, former lawmaker Kwak, who was prosecuted on charges including receiving bribes from Hwacheon Daeyu Asset Management (Hwacheon Daeyu), which led the Daejang-dong development project, was acquitted in the first trial regarding his son Kwak Byung-chae's retirement money of 5 billion won (2.5 billion won after taxes, etc.). The court acknowledged that the amount paid was unusual but judged that "the performance bonus received by Byung-chae cannot be evaluated as a quid pro quo received by defendant Kwak Sang-do."

However, Kwak was found 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. The court sentenced former lawmaker Kwak to a fine of 8 million won for the illegal political funds and ordered the confiscation of 50 million won.