[Breaking] Court on Lee Hwa-young Sentencing: "High Likelihood of Criticism"

On the 7th at 2 p.m., the first trial sentencing hearing was held at Suwon District Court Criminal Division 11 (Presiding Judge Shin Jin-woo) for former Gyeonggi Province Deputy Governor Lee Hwa-young on charges including violation of the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act, violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (bribery), violation of the Political Funds Act, and obstruction of justice by destroying evidence. The court stated that "the blameworthiness is very high" regarding Lee's sentencing.

The court pointed out regarding Lee's bribery and violation of the Political Funds Act charges that "it appears that Lee did not have a sense of problem" and added that "the blameworthiness is very high." Regarding the charge of violating the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act due to remittances to North Korea, the court stated, "It is possible to argue that it caused issues in diplomatic and security matters," and said, "It is difficult to view the blameworthiness as low."

Lee was arrested and indicted in October 2022 on charges of receiving bribes amounting to hundreds of millions of won and illegal political funds from Ssangbangwool Group between July 2018 and July 2022 by receiving corporate cards and corporate vehicles and paying false salaries to his associates.

During the trial, he was additionally indicted in March last year on charges of having former Ssangbangwool Chairman Kim Sung-tae pay a total of 8 million dollars, including 5 million dollars for the smart farm project costs promised by Gyeonggi Province to North Korea and 3 million dollars for Lee's visit to North Korea.

One month later, in April last year, he was further indicted on charges of requesting Ssangbangwool Vice Chairman Bang Yong-cheol to delete materials related to his use of corporate cards ahead of the prosecution's investigation.