Prosecution Appeals First Trial Fine Against Hamilton Hotel CEO for Illegal Extension Charges

The representative of Hamilton Hotel, who was indicted on charges of illegally expanding a structure, received a fine in the first trial, but the prosecution appealed against this decision.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 6th, the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office announced that it would appeal the first trial verdict for Lee (age 76), the representative of Hamilton Hotel, who was indicted for violating the Building Act and the Road Act.

Judge Jeong Geum-young of the Criminal Division 4 at the Seoul Western District Court sentenced Lee to a fine of 8 million KRW on the 29th of last month. The hotel operating corporation Hamilton Tourism, the leasing corporation District, Park (owner of the nearby pub 'Frost'), and Ahn (representative of the lounge bar 'Bronze'), who were indicted together with Lee, were fined 8 million KRW, 1 million KRW, 1 million KRW, and 5 million KRW respectively.

They are accused of erecting illegal structures around the main building of Hamilton Hotel and occupying the road without permission. It has been pointed out that this caused the road to narrow, which contributed to casualties in the Itaewon tragedy on October 29 last year.

The prosecution stated the reason for the appeal: "The first trial court acquitted Lee on the grounds that it was difficult to recognize intent to violate the Building Act, but considering that the court also judged that the steel panel extended beyond the building line constitutes a fence, and that the defendants did not conduct any separate surveying before installing the fence, it appears that the first trial court's factual and legal judgment regarding whether the structure required notification and the defendants' conditional intent was incorrect."

They added, "Regarding the part where all defendants including Lee were found guilty, we also judge that the sentences given are too lenient considering the crimes and responsibilities."