What is the Illegality Judgment of 'Kim Hak-ui's Departure Ban'? First Trial Verdict Today

Lee Seong-yoon, a research fellow at the Legal Research and Training Institute, who was prosecuted for exerting external pressure on the investigation of the illegal travel ban case involving former Deputy Minister of Justice Kim Hak-ui, is attending a trial held on October 20, 2021, at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] A court ruling on the illegality of the travel ban imposed on former Vice Minister of Justice Kim Hak-ui is expected.

On the afternoon of the 15th, the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 27 (Presiding Judge Kim Ok-gon) will hold a sentencing hearing for Lee Seong-yoon, a research fellow at the Legal Research Institute, who was indicted on charges of abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights. Sentencing for Prosecutor Lee Gyu-won of Chuncheon District Prosecutors' Office, former Head of the Immigration and Foreign Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Justice Cha Gyu-geun, and former Blue House Civil Affairs Secretary Lee Kwang-cheol will also take place on the same day.

They are accused of illegally banning former Vice Minister Kim from leaving the country on March 22, 2019, when his attempt to depart from Incheon International Airport was detected (abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights).

At the time, Prosecutor Lee, who was dispatched to the Past Affairs Investigation Team at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, submitted an emergency travel ban request using a past case number for which Kim had already been cleared, thereby blocking his departure. It was also investigated that the subsequent approval request included a non-existent investigation number. Former Head Cha is accused of approving the travel ban request a day later despite knowing its illegality, and former Secretary Lee is accused of coordinating between former Head Cha and Prosecutor Lee and leading the entire illegal travel ban process.

Lee, who was the head of the Anti-Corruption and Serious Crime Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office that year, was indicted on charges of exerting pressure to obstruct the investigation by the Anyang District Prosecutors' Office Criminal Division 3 into the illegal travel ban suspicions.

At the last closing argument hearing, the prosecution requested the court to sentence Lee to two years in prison. The prosecution argued, "If the frontline investigation team is planning a difficult investigation, the defendant, who was the head of the Anti-Corruption and Serious Crime Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, should have supported and assisted the investigation to ensure proper judgment, but instead, the defendant obstructed the investigation without justifiable reason."

Lee made a final statement saying, "This case is an indictment based on vague speculation and confirmation bias," and "There is nothing specific in the charges about what instructions I gave."

The prosecution demanded two years in prison for former Secretary Lee, and three years each for Prosecutor Lee and former Head Cha.