Lee Jun-seok Mentions Lee Hwa-young's North Korea Remittance Appeal Trial
"Lee Jae-myung Delays Tactics for Election Gain"
"Another Seed of Anti-Constitution"
Former Gyeonggi Province Deputy Governor for Peace Lee Hwa-young received a prison sentence in the appellate trial on charges of conspiring to remit funds to North Korea, and Rep. Lee Jun-seok of the Reform New Party criticized Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, while mentioning this case.
On the 20th, Rep. Lee opened his remarks on his social media account by saying, "The recent trial result of former Deputy Governor Lee provides many implications regarding the upcoming early presidential election." He explained, "Judicial procedures and impeachment against the incumbent president are underway due to unauthorized presidential rule and delusional martial law," adding, "The person aiming to fill that vacancy is, in fact, an accomplice of someone whose facts and charges have been recognized up to the second trial." He further elaborated, "This is not just any story but one concerning 'remittance to North Korea,' and it is a case suspected of being entangled with organized crime."
Lee Jun-seok, Member of the Reform New Party. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group
Rep. Lee said, "The original privilege of criminal immunity granted to a person elected president is to prevent national governance from being disrupted by indiscriminate criminal complaints, accusations, and subsequent investigations against the president, not to serve as a shield." He continued, "Meanwhile, Leader Lee Jae-myung's filing of a judge disqualification motion in the North Korea remittance trial is an attempt to delay the process and hold the election to exploit constitutional privileges, but such attempts themselves are unconstitutional." He also warned, "If another seed of unconstitutionality sprouts by feeding on unconstitutional martial law, the Constitution of the Republic of Korea will be trampled upon," adding, "I worry whether the time will come when it can be compared to a situation where a garbage truck leaves and a sewage truck arrives."
Earlier, the Criminal Division 1 of Suwon High Court (Judges Moon Ju-hyung, Kim Min-sang, Kang Young-jae) on the 19th sentenced former Deputy Governor Lee to 7 years and 8 months in prison, reduced from the first trial, in the appellate sentencing trial 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 evidence. The fine of 250 million KRW and the confiscation of 325.95 million KRW were maintained as in the first trial. The court stated, "The defendant's crimes betray the fairness of public officials' execution of duties and social trust, and undermine the non-purchasability of duties, constituting serious crimes," adding, "Severe punishment commensurate with this is inevitable." However, the court ruled, "Regarding bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes and violation of the Political Funds Act, the defendant did not proceed to dishonest acts as a politician," and "Considering some errors in the original trial's judgment of guilt or innocence, the original trial was overturned and sentencing factors were reflected."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
