On the 27th, the Supreme Court announced that it must re-examine and rule that some charges against former Blue House Senior Secretary for Political Affairs Cho Yoon-sun, who was acquitted in the second trial after being prosecuted for obstructing the activities of the Sewol Ferry Special Investigation Commission, are 'guilty.'
Former Blue House Senior Secretary for Political Affairs Cho Yoon-sun (left) and former Presidential Chief of Staff Lee Byung-gi, who were prosecuted on charges of obstructing the activities of the Sewol Ferry Special Investigation Commission [Image source=Yonhap News]
On the morning of the same day, the Supreme Court's Second Division (Presiding Justice Lee Dong-won) overturned the second trial's acquittal of former Senior Secretary Cho, who was charged with abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights, and remanded the case to the Seoul High Court. It also ruled that there are additional parts of the charges against former Vice Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Yoon Hak-bae, who was acquitted in the second trial, that should be considered guilty.
The court stated, "Regarding the charges against former Senior Secretary Cho and former Vice Minister Yoon concerning some officials under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, there is a possibility that it constitutes 'abuse of authority' by compelling public officials to perform tasks not required by law." The court confirmed the acquittal of former Presidential Chief of Staff Lee Byung-ki, former Blue House Senior Secretary for Economic Affairs Ahn Jong-beom, and former Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Kim Young-seok.
Previously, former Senior Secretary Cho and others were prosecuted on charges of instructing Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries officials to create a comprehensive response system to preemptively block the activities of the Special Investigation Commission that were unfavorable to the Park Geun-hye administration and the ruling party (Saenuri Party) in 2015.
In the first trial, former Senior Secretary Cho and former Chief of Staff Lee were each sentenced to one year in prison with two years of probation. Former Minister Kim was sentenced to two years in prison with three years of probation, and former Vice Minister Yoon was sentenced to one year and six months in prison with two years of probation. Former Senior Secretary Ahn was acquitted.
On April 16, 2014, the passenger ferry 'Sewol' traveling from Incheon to Jeju sank in the waters off Jindo, Jeollanam-do. [Image source=Yonhap News]
In the second trial, former Senior Secretary Cho, former Chief of Staff Lee, and former Minister Kim were acquitted, and former Vice Minister Yoon's sentence was reduced to six months in prison with two years of probation. The acquittal of former Senior Secretary Ahn from the first trial was upheld.
The second trial court stated, "The parts recognized as guilty are limited to former Vice Minister Yoon having dispatched people to the Sewol Ferry Special Investigation Commission Preparatory Group to gather internal information of the commission or to prepare and report daily situation reports," adding, "All other parts cannot be considered crimes under the legal theory of abuse of authority."
However, on this day, the Supreme Court found that there are more parts that should be judged as guilty for former Senior Secretary Cho and former Vice Minister Yoon. Some public officials who received their instructions are required to maintain independence in their duties. The Supreme Court panel emphasized, "They made documents including the progress and response plans that involved intervening in the activities of the Preparatory Group through nominees for Special Investigation Commission members," and "This can be seen as having caused the performance of duties in violation of principles and standards of official conduct."
On April 16, 2019, the 5th anniversary of the Sewol Ferry disaster, the "Danwon High School 4.16 Memory Classroom," containing traces of the students who lost their lives in the Sewol Ferry disaster, is preserved in the annex of the Ansan Office of Education in Gyeonggi Province. / Ansan - Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@
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