Former Prosecutor Lee Gyu-won, Suspected of False Report on Kim Hak-ui, Given 500,000 Won Fine with Suspension

The court: “The false entries did not constitute a large portion”
“No proof of the allegations or the acts do not constitute a crime”

Deputy Chief Prosecutor Lee Gyu-won of Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office, who was indicted for involvement in the illegal travel ban of former Deputy Minister of Justice Kim Hak-ui, is attending a trial held at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 15th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

Former Deputy Minister of Justice Kim Hak-ui’s ‘villa sex bribery allegations’ investigation led to former Deputy Chief Prosecutor Lee Gyu-won (Chairman of the Strategy Committee of the Joguk Innovation Party) being tried for writing a false interview report. In the first trial, he received a suspended sentence with a fine of 500,000 won for the charge of falsifying official documents, while being acquitted of the other four major charges.

The Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 27 (Presiding Judge Woo In-seong) on the 26th suspended the sentence with a fine of 500,000 won for former prosecutor Lee, who was indicted on charges including falsification of official documents. A suspended sentence means that for a minor crime, the sentencing is postponed for a certain period, and if two years pass from the suspension date, the case is effectively considered null and void.

Former prosecutor Lee was indicted on charges including falsification of official documents, breach of official secrets, violation of the Personal Information Protection Act, obstruction of business, and violation of the Information and Communications Network Act (defamation). He was acquitted of the four major charges except for falsification of official documents.

Regarding the charge of falsifying official documents, the court recognized that former prosecutor Lee was guilty of falsely summarizing statements without recordings during three interviews with Mr. Yoon. However, the court explained the reason for the suspended sentence by stating, “The defendant admitted the facts, and the false entries did not constitute a large portion of the three reports.” For the remaining charges, the court explained, “There is no proof of the allegations or the acts do not constitute a crime.” It also noted, “Considering that the guilty part is minor and insignificant, and that this is the defendant’s first offense.”

From November 2018 to May 2019, former prosecutor Lee served as a member of the Past Truth Investigation Team of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office during the Moon Jae-in administration. He is accused of fabricating facts that Mr. Yoon, a key figure in the sex bribery allegations, did not mention and writing false interview reports.

The prosecution viewed that former prosecutor Lee violated regulations prohibiting the disclosure of official secrets by leaking the falsely written interview reports. The prosecution’s perspective is that he informed a specific media outlet to create public pressure for an investigation. At the sentencing hearing on the 23rd of last month, the prosecution demanded a three-year prison sentence for Chairman Lee.

Immediately after the verdict, former prosecutor Lee said, “I thank and pay respect to the court for its wise judgment based on law and common sense.” He added, “Among the numerous allegations spanning dozens of pages, only one line was subject to a suspended sentence, and the rest were acquitted, so I understand this as effectively an acquittal. I will explain some parts to the appellate court.”