Sang Byunheon Sejong City Council Criminal Case: Petition Submitted Ahead of Sentencing

Attention Drawn to Submission to Judicial, Not Investigative, Authority
What Verdict Will the Criminal Court Deliver in the First Trial?

As the first trial verdict approaches for Sang Byunheon, a member of the Sejong City Council from the Democratic Party of Korea who was indicted on charges of forcibly molesting a fellow council member and falsely accusing another council member with the intent to have them criminally punished, it has been confirmed by Asia Economy's reporting that a petition was submitted to the Daejeon District Court on July 7, drawing attention to the background of this development.

A petition is a document submitted by the complainant or related parties requesting punishment or similar actions, functioning similarly to a formal complaint. Given that it was submitted to the court ahead of sentencing, it is interpreted as a request for the court to impose punishment on Councilor Sang.

Daejeon District and High Court. / Chungcheong Coverage Headquarters Kim Kiwan

Since the petition was filed after the conclusion of the pleadings but before sentencing, there is interest in whether the court will take the contents of the petition into consideration for sentencing or decide to reopen the pleadings. Legal experts note that, as this is a standard criminal case, the trial has already lasted more than two years, which is not a short period, but there remains a possibility that the pleadings could be reopened.

This case is particularly noteworthy because the trial has been ongoing since May 2023, and this is the first time in two years that a petition has been submitted, and that too just before the verdict. Typically, petitions are submitted to investigative agencies, but in this case, it was submitted not during the police or prosecution's investigation but just before sentencing, leading to interpretations that Councilor Sang, as the defendant, could face a harsher sentence as a result.

For example, this move is seen as an attempt to prevent the possibility of Councilor Sang, who has been facing a recommended sentence of two years in prison, from receiving a fine or a suspended sentence instead.

Previously, during the first trial proceedings, Councilor Sang had denied the criminal charges but abruptly changed his stance and admitted to the charges. At the final hearing, he stated, "I sincerely apologize for causing a scandal due to this unfortunate incident and deeply regret my actions. I am trying to reach a settlement with the victims, but due to a large difference in the settlement amount, we have not yet reached an agreement. I will do my best to reach a settlement before the sentencing date."

Meanwhile, the sentencing for Councilor Sang is scheduled to take place at 2:00 p.m. on July 24 in courtroom 317 of the Daejeon District Court.