Prosecution Appeals Ewha-young Lee's First Trial Sentence of '9 Years and 6 Months Imprisonment'... "Unfair Sentencing and Misinterpretation of Facts"

The prosecution appealed the first trial verdict that sentenced former Gyeonggi Province Deputy Governor for Peace Lee Hwa-young to 9 years and 6 months in prison on charges including violation of the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act related to remittances to North Korea and bribery.

On the 12th, the Criminal Division 6 of Suwon District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Seo Hyun-wook) appealed the first trial verdict handed down on the 7th against former Deputy Governor Lee and former Ssangbangwool Group Vice Chairman Bang Yong-chul.

Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, Hadong, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do.

The Criminal Division 11 of Suwon District Court (Presiding Judge Shin Jin-woo) on the 7th, in the first trial sentencing hearing for former Deputy Governor Lee, who was detained and indicted 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, found most of Lee's charges guilty and sentenced him to 9 years and 6 months in prison with a fine of 250 million KRW. Additionally, a confiscation order of 325.95 million KRW was imposed.

The prosecution cited excessive leniency in sentencing, factual errors, and legal misinterpretations as reasons for appealing the first trial verdict against former Deputy Governor Lee.

Regarding excessive leniency, the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office stated, "Considering the fact that the defendant maintained collusive relations with private companies over a long period, received bribes and political funds exceeding 100 million KRW, smuggled out millions of dollars causing diplomatic and security issues, has not shown remorse and consistently made irrational excuses while repeatedly making false claims and obstructing justice, and that the sentence of 8 years is below the statutory minimum of 10 years for bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, we judged that a heavier sentence should be imposed on the defendant."

Regarding factual errors and legal misinterpretations, they explained, "The first trial ultimately acquitted part of the charges related to violation of the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act concerning 6 million dollars, on the grounds that it was not proven that the funds were delivered to the 'Chosun Workers' Party.' However, if the scope of financial sanctions targets is interpreted narrowly in this way, there is a risk of creating a loophole in punishment when sanctioned entities such as the Chosun Workers' Party formally insert a third party to receive funds, which contradicts the legislative purpose of 'cutting off major funding sources of the North Korean regime.' Therefore, we appealed the part concerning violation of the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act to correct the legal interpretation."

They added, "We also appealed the parts where the court acquitted charges of violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (bribery) and the Political Funds Act, which differ from the prosecution's views, citing factual errors and legal misinterpretations."

Former Deputy Governor Lee was detained and indicted in October 2022 on charges of receiving bribes and illegal political funds amounting to hundreds of millions of won by receiving corporate cards and vehicles from Ssangbangwool Group from July 2018 to July 2022, and paying false salaries to his aides.

During the trial, in March last year, he was additionally indicted 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 the visit expenses to North Korea by Lee Jae-myung, then Governor of Gyeonggi Province and current leader of the Democratic Party of Korea.

A month later, in April last year, he was additionally indicted on charges of requesting former Vice Chairman Bang to delete data related to his use of corporate cards ahead of the prosecution's investigation.

Previously, the prosecution had sought a sentence of 15 years in prison and a fine of 1 billion KRW against former Deputy Governor Lee.

The prosecution also appealed the first trial verdict that sentenced former Vice Chairman Bang, who was jointly indicted for bribery to former Deputy Governor Lee, to 2 years in prison with a 3-year probation. Earlier, the prosecution had sought a 2 years and 6 months prison sentence for Bang.

The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office stated, "Considering the amount of bribes and political funds given, we judged that a heavier sentence should be imposed on the defendant."

Meanwhile, on the same day, the Criminal Division 6 of Suwon District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Seo Hyun-wook) indicted Lee Jae-myung without detention on charges including bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, violation of the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act, and violation of the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act. Former Ssangbangwool Group Chairman Kim Sung-tae was additionally indicted on charges of bribery.