'Whistleblower Identification' Former CEO of Korail Networks Receives Suspended Sentence... Prosecutors Appeal

The former CEO of Korail Networks, accused of unlawfully accessing employees' emails to identify a whistleblower, received a suspended sentence in the first trial, prompting the prosecution to file an appeal.

According to the legal community on the 17th, Judge Seong Jun-gyu of the Criminal Division 10 at the Seoul Western District Court sentenced former Korail Networks CEO A, who was indicted on charges including violation of the Information and Communications Network Act (such as network intrusion), to 8 months in prison with a 2-year suspension on the 11th.

Former CEO A is accused of unlawfully accessing an employee's email around August 2020 to identify the employee who reported misconduct by his predecessor. He is also charged with coercing the labor union to expel the employee.

The Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office appealed the verdict on the same day. The prosecution stated, "Considering that the defendant denies the crime and shows no remorse, we judged that a severe punishment is necessary and therefore filed an appeal."