Lee Seong-yoon, a research fellow at the Legal Research and Training Institute, who was prosecuted on charges of exerting external pressure in the investigation of allegations of illegal travel bans against former Deputy Minister of Justice Kim Hak-ui, was acquitted again in the second trial.
Research Fellow Seong-yoon Lee at the Judicial Research and Training Institute. [Photo by Yonhap News]
The Criminal Division 5 of the Seoul High Court (Presiding Judge Seo Seung-ryeol) on the 25th acquitted Lee, who was indicted on charges of abuse of authority, just as in the first trial.
The court stated, "Based solely on the evidence submitted by the prosecution, it is difficult to conclude that the facts of the indictment were proven beyond a reasonable doubt," and added, "The defendant's statement that the emergency travel ban was a matter agreed upon by the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office cannot be regarded as an illegal and improper work order."
Lee was prosecuted on charges of exerting undue pressure on the investigation team to halt the prosecution's investigation into Prosecutor Lee Gyu-won and others, who were suspected of illegally banning former Deputy Minister Kim's departure while Lee was serving as head of the Anti-Corruption and Strong Crime Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in June 2019.
The first trial court said, "Although there is suspicion that Lee exerted illegal and improper pressure, other factors prevented the investigation from proceeding, so his crime cannot be definitively determined," and acquitted him in February last year.
After the verdict, Lee told reporters, "I thank the court for clearly judging what universal common-sense justice is, not 'Yoon Seok-youl-style justice,'" and added, "I hope this ruling serves as a warning to political prosecutors who have abused prosecutorial power."
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