Kim Manbae, the major shareholder of Hwacheon Daeyu, who was indicted on charges of requesting help from the then Seongnam City Council chairman for the Daejangdong development project and offering bribes, is seen answering reporters' questions after leaving the court following the first trial sentencing held on February 14 last year at the Suwon District Court in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do. Photo by Yonhap News
Kim Manbae, the major shareholder of Hwacheon Daeyu who was put on trial for requesting favors and offering bribes to the then chairman of the Seongnam City Council in connection with the Daejangdong development project, has been acquitted with a final verdict of not guilty.
The First Division of the Supreme Court (presiding justice: Noh Taekak) on the 18th upheld the lower court's ruling that found Kim not guilty of bribery charges.
Choi Yoonkil, the former chairman of the Seongnam City Council, who was indicted for receiving a request from Kim and passing the ordinance for the establishment of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation through improper means (charge of improper conduct after request), was also acquitted with a final verdict of not guilty.
Prosecutors alleged that in 2012, Choi accepted Kim's request and, in January 2013, passed the ordinance in violation of voting principles while council members who opposed the ordinance had left the chamber. They also claimed that in return, Choi was promised a performance bonus of 4 billion won to be paid in installments after being appointed vice chairman of Hwacheon Daeyu in February 2021, and that he received 80 million won by November 17 of the same year under the pretext of salary and other benefits.
The first trial court, taking into account the testimonies of Daejangdong developers such as Nam Wook and Jung Younghak, found that Choi had accepted the request to pass the corporation ordinance and had incited or directed protests by Daejangdong residents, thereby leading the efforts behind the scenes. However, the appellate court rejected the credibility of these testimonies.
The appellate court stated, "Kim's act of offering a bribe presupposes that Choi committed an improper act in the course of his duties," and concluded, "Therefore, Kim cannot be found guilty." The Supreme Court agreed with the appellate court's judgment.
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