Prosecution Requests "Fine of 5 Million Won"
First Trial Imposed Fine of 900,000 Won... Maintained Parliamentary Seat
Shin Jeonghoon, a Democratic Party lawmaker representing Naju and Hwasun in South Jeolla Province, has been sentenced to a fine of 5 million won, which is grounds for invalidation of his election, on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act in his appeals trial.
Shin Jeonghoon, a member of the Democratic Party, is speaking during a procedural motion raised by ruling party lawmakers regarding the attendance of No Taeak, Chairman of the National Election Commission, at the confirmation hearing for Kim Daewoong, a nominee for the National Election Commission member, held on March 6 at the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee in Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News
During the sentencing hearing of the appeals trial held on the 24th at the Gwangju High Court Criminal Division 2 (presided over by Chief Judge Lee Euyeong), the prosecution requested that "the defendant be sentenced to a fine of 5 million won."
Shin was indicted on charges of encouraging "double voting" by telling about 20 residents of Naju ahead of last year's April 10 general election that, even if they were Democratic Party dues-paying members, they could also vote as ordinary voters without disclosing their party membership. In the first trial, the prosecution sought the same sentence, but the court imposed a fine of 900,000 won, stating that "the impact on the election was limited, and he was elected in the general election even after the facts became known."
The appeals court is scheduled to hold a sentencing hearing and determine the final sentence on the 22nd of next month. Under the Public Official Election Act, if a fine of 1 million won or more is finalized, the lawmaker will lose his seat in the National Assembly.
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