Former Yongsan Tax Office Chief Yoon Woojin Sentenced to Prison Again in Second Trial for Accepting Bribes to Quash Tax Investigations

Court: "Sufficient Evidence of Bribery for Influence... No Detention Due to Health Considerations"

Former Seoul Yongsan Tax Office Chief Yoon Woojin, who was sentenced to imprisonment in the first trial on charges of pocketing bribes in exchange for dismissing tax investigations, is leaving the court after the second trial sentencing hearing held on the 22nd at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

Former Seoul Yongsan Tax Office Chief Yoon Woojin, who was indicted on charges of accepting money in exchange for quashing tax investigations, was sentenced to imprisonment in the second trial as well. However, the court did not take Yoon into custody, taking into account his health condition and other factors.

The Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 5-2 (Presiding Judges Kim Yongjung, Kim Jiseon, and So Byungjin) held the appellate sentencing hearing for Yoon on August 22 on charges of violating the Attorney-at-Law Act, and upheld the original verdict of 10 months in prison and a forfeiture of 32 million won.

The court stated, "It is sufficiently recognized that he received 30 million won from Mr. A under the pretext of a request," and found Yoon guilty of accepting approximately 30 million won in exchange for influencing a tax investigation.

The court also found Yoon guilty of accepting approximately 500 million won from a corporation in return for arranging legal services and other favors. However, regarding the charge that Yoon accepted about 100 million won as a reward for lobbying and brokering related to a hotel site development project, the court found the evidence insufficient and acquitted him on that count.

Yoon was brought to trial on charges of violating the Attorney-at-Law Act for allegedly receiving a total of 130 million won from two individuals, including Incheon real estate developer Mr. A, between 2017 and 2018 in exchange for promising to lobby tax authorities on their behalf. During the trial, Yoon's side argued that 30 million won was payment for legitimate work and that the remaining 100 million won was repayment of a loan.