Prosecution Appeals First Trial Verdict of 'Gwak Sang-do Not Guilty of Bribery'

Former People Power Party lawmaker Kwak Sang-do, who is accused of receiving bribes under the pretext of his son's retirement allowance 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@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The prosecution appealed on the 13th against the first trial ruling that acquitted former lawmaker Kwak Sang-do of bribery charges.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office filed an appeal on the afternoon of the same day to the Criminal Division 22 of the Seoul Central District Court (Chief Judge Lee Jun-cheol), which handled Kwak's first trial, citing factual errors and legal misunderstandings.

The prosecution stated that there are parts of the first trial ruling that do not align with the overall evidence and legal principles, and aspects that do not conform to social norms and common sense, and that they plan to actively contest these points in the appellate trial.

Former lawmaker Kwak was indicted on charges of receiving 5 billion won (2.5 billion won after taxes, etc.) as severance pay and bonuses for his son Byung-chae, who worked at Hwacheon Daeyu until April 2021 and then resigned.

The prosecution sought a 15-year prison sentence, a fine of about 5 billion won, and a confiscation of 2.5 billion won for Kwak, but the court acquitted him, ruling that the 5 billion won was neither a brokerage fee nor a bribe.

On the morning of the same day, Song Kyung-ho, head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, received a report on the analysis of the verdict and future prosecution plans from the first investigation team of four members responsible for indictment and prosecution maintenance. Deputy Chief Prosecutor Ko Hyung-gon and Head of the Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 3 Kang Baek-shin attended the meeting to discuss future prosecution maintenance measures and the investigation direction of related cases such as the '5 Billion Club.' The prosecution plans to expand the prosecution maintenance personnel to overturn the first trial ruling.