Sentencing in the Appeal Trial on the 29th
The prosecution has demanded a 15-year prison sentence and a fine of 1 billion KRW for Lee Hwa-young, former Deputy Governor for Peace of Gyeonggi Province, who was sentenced in the first trial to 9 years and 6 months in prison and a fine of 250 million KRW on charges including involvement in the North Korea remittance suspicion, where Ssangbangwool Group allegedly paid for Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea's visit to North Korea, and receiving bribes worth hundreds of millions of won. This is the same amount the prosecution requested in the first trial.
According to the legal community on the 1st, at the sentencing hearing held yesterday at the Suwon High Court Criminal Division 1 (Presiding Judges Moon Ju-hyung, Kim Min-sang, Kang Young-jae), the prosecution requested the court to sentence Lee to 15 years in prison, a fine of 1 billion KRW, and confiscation of approximately 334 million KRW 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 evidence destruction.
Former Gyeonggi Province Deputy Governor for Peace Lee Hwa-young testifying as a witness and responding during the Legislation and Judiciary Committee's National Assembly audit held on the 25th of last month.
Additionally, the prosecution requested the same sentence as in the first trial?2 years and 6 months in prison?for Bang Yong-chul, vice chairman of Ssangbangwool, who was jointly indicted on charges of bribery to Lee.
The prosecution stated in its sentencing opinion, "This is a regressive collusion crime where a high-ranking public official received hundreds of millions of won in bribes and political funds from a sponsor, posing a serious threat to the security of the Republic of Korea and the international community."
Furthermore, the prosecution pointed out, "In the appeal trial, unprecedented judicial obstruction occurred, with evidence and litigation records leaked to a specific media outlet to influence the trial," adding, "Not only was the National Intelligence Service witness interrogation transcript leaked to a specific media outlet, but the defense also showed contempt for the presiding judge with arrogant arguments."
They continued, "The defendant shamelessly involved Kim Seong-tae (former chairman of Ssangbangwool Group), with whom he had a symbiotic relationship, in the crime and now tries to shift responsibility onto Kim Seong-tae," emphasizing, "All of these must be reflected in the defendant's sentencing."
In the final defense, the lawyer argued, "It cannot be ruled out that Kim Seong-tae, Bang Yong-chul, and Ahn Bu-su (chairman of the Asia-Pacific Peace Exchange Association) may have falsely testified to coerce or pressure the defendant to reduce their own investigations or sentences," and added, "Nevertheless, the original court's judgment that there was no motive for false testimony is difficult to accept."
The lawyer also stated, "I cannot hide my sadness facing the reality where the prosecution abandoned its duty of objectivity and abused its power against the defendant," and said, "The truth of this case will be revealed someday. Even so, the defendant's life and time cannot be restored."
In his final statement, Lee said, "During the past two years of imprisonment, I have reflected a lot on whether I behaved properly as a public official and whether I should have been more cautious and careful in everything," and appealed, "However, it is difficult to accept the prosecution's claim that I 'did not know and am lying' based on one of the thousands or tens of thousands of materials obtained through forensic investigation and search and seizure."
The appeal trial sentencing date is set for the 29th at 2 p.m.
Lee was arrested and indicted in October 2022 on charges of receiving bribes worth hundreds of millions of won and illegal political funds from Ssangbangwool Group between July 2018 and July 2022 by receiving corporate cards and vehicles and paying false salaries to his aides.
During the trial, he was additionally indicted in March last year on charges of having Kim Seong-tae, former chairman of Ssangbangwool, pay a total of 8 million USD, including 5 million USD for the smart farm project costs promised by Gyeonggi Province to North Korea and 3 million USD for Lee Jae-myung's visit expenses to North Korea.
One month later, in April last year, he was further indicted on charges of requesting Bang Yong-chul, vice chairman of Ssangbangwool, to delete data related to his use of corporate cards ahead of the prosecution's investigation.
Earlier, in June, the first trial court found Lee guilty of major charges and sentenced him to 9 years and 6 months in prison (1 year and 6 months for violation of the Political Funds Act and 8 years for bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes), a fine of 250 million KRW, and confiscation of 325.95 million KRW.
The first trial court recognized that the North Korea remittance was paid by Ssangbangwool on behalf of Gyeonggi Province for the smart farm project costs and the governor's visit expenses.
Bang Yong-chul was sentenced to 2 years in prison with a 3-year probation in the first trial.
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