Prosecution Seeks 12-Year Sentence for Kim Yong, Lee Jae-myung's Closest Aide, Over Illegal Election Fund Receipt

Prosecutors: "Using Election Fund Requests for Party Primaries Shocks Even Prosecutors"

The prosecution has requested a heavy sentence of 12 years in prison for Kim Yong, former deputy director of the Democratic Research Institute and a close aide to Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who has been indicted on charges including receiving illegal election funds.

Former Deputy Director Kim Yong of the Democratic Research Institute is entering the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-dong, Seoul, on the morning of the 21st, where a continuation trial related to 'illegal presidential election fund receipt' is being held.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

At the sentencing hearing held on the 21st under the jurisdiction of the 23rd Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Jo Byung-gu), the prosecution asked the court to "sentence Kim to 12 years in prison, impose a fine of 380 million won, and order the confiscation of 790 million won."

For Yoo Dong-gyu, former head of planning at Seongnam Urban Development Corporation and an accomplice in violating the Political Funds Act, the prosecution requested 1 year and 6 months in prison and a confiscation of 140 million won. For lawyer Jeong Min-yong, they sought 1 year in prison and a confiscation of 7 million won. For Nam Wook, the provider of the funds, the prosecution requested a 1-year prison sentence and a confiscation of 100 million won.

The prosecution criticized, "Kim’s crime of demanding election funds from private contractors with whom he had long-standing collusion and receiving 600 million won in cash to use in the party’s primary election was shocking even to prosecutors," adding, "It seems he had no sense of guilt, thinking that as long as he won, he could cover up the entire process by any means necessary."

Regarding former head Yoo, the prosecution stated, "He is both a major accomplice in the crime and a whistleblower," and explained the sentencing rationale by saying, "We hope Yoo is recognized not as a ‘traitor’ but as someone who showed courage."

Kim is accused of conspiring with Yoo and others around the time of the party’s preliminary presidential primary from April to August last year to receive 847 million won from Nam in four installments under the pretext of presidential election funds.

He is also charged with receiving a total of 190 million won in four installments from Yoo between February 2013 and April 2014 while serving as a standing member of the Urban Construction Committee of the Seongnam City Council, in exchange for facilitating the establishment of the corporation and conveniences related to the Daejang-dong development project.