Prosecutors Appeal Partial Acquittal of Hana Financial Group Chairman on Hiring-Related Allegations

Regarding the partial acquittal of Ham Young-joo, Chairman of Hana Financial Group, who is suspected of recruitment corruption, in the appellate trial, the prosecution has decided to seek the Supreme Court's judgment.

On the 29th, the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office announced that it has filed an appeal against the appellate court's ruling on Chairman Ham, who was indicted on charges of obstruction of business and violation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act.

The prosecution stated, "There is a legal error in the appellate court's acquittal regarding obstruction of business in the selection process of successful candidates in the 2015 document screening and the 2016 document screening and aptitude test." However, parts confirmed as acquittals in the verdicts of accomplices such as the head of the HR department were excluded from the scope of the appeal.

Additionally, the prosecution also filed an appeal against the appellate court's acquittal of former Hana Bank Vice President Jang Ki-yong on charges of intervening in the 2015 document screening process. The Hana Bank corporation was fully convicted and has waived its right to appeal.

On the 23rd, the appellate court sentenced Chairman Ham to six months in prison with a two-year probation. While he was acquitted in the first trial, the verdict was overturned in the second trial. Chairman Ham also filed an appeal on the 24th, objecting to the appellate court's guilty verdict.

Chairman Ham is accused of intervening in the document screening, group interviews, and executive interviews during the open recruitment process for new employees in 2015, when he was the head of Hana Bank, following a request from an acquaintance. Additionally, he was indicted in June 2018 on charges of discriminatory hiring by maintaining a 4:1 gender ratio of new employees from 2013 to 2016.