Prosecution Dismisses Case
"Suspicions Raised Based on Related Agency Data, Considered Evaluation or Opinion"
The prosecution has decided not to indict Bae Hyun-jin, a member of the People Power Party, who was accused of filing a complaint alleging that Kim Jung-sook, the wife of former President Moon Jae-in, took a pleasure trip abroad.
According to the legal community on the 12th, the Criminal Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Jo Ah-ra) dismissed the case earlier this month in which Mrs. Kim had filed a defamation lawsuit against Assemblywoman Bae in June of last year.
The prosecution stated that since Assemblywoman Bae raised suspicions based on materials from related agencies and that her statements fall under evaluations or opinions that are difficult to recognize as defamation under the law, they made this decision.
Earlier, on the 7th, the prosecution also cleared Mrs. Kim of charges including abuse of authority, obstruction of exercise of rights, and loss of public funds, which were filed in relation to the suspicions raised by Assemblywoman Bae.
The prosecution judged that Mrs. Kim's solo visit to India could be seen as a simple pleasure trip and that all procedures for the Ministry of Economy and Finance's review during the supplementary budget allocation process by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism were properly followed.
Meanwhile, in June of last year, Mrs. Kim filed a complaint with the police, accusing Assemblywoman Bae of spreading false information and damaging her reputation regarding her visit to the Taj Mahal in India in November 2018. Assemblywoman Bae claimed that Mrs. Kim accompanied the former Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Do Jong-hwan as a special aide during his visit to India and wasted budget, revealing the government delegation list.
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