Han Donghoon: "The Daejang-dong Group Will Serve a Few Years and Then Live Lavishly With Billions"

"Ordinary citizens face appeals even for stealing a single Choco Pie"
Refers to Cho Kuk scandal: "The Daejang-dong case is on a different level"

Han Donghoon, former leader of the People Power Party, criticized the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office for its decision not to appeal the first trial verdict in the Daejang-dong development corruption case, saying, "I have never seen or heard of a situation where an appeal is not filed even though there is now a structure in which 780 billion won cannot be recovered." He added, "Justice Minister Jeong Seongho and the Daejang-dong group should personally cover the billions in profits they gained for the rest of their lives."

On November 10, Han wrote on Facebook, "They used their power to drop the appeal for the Daejang-dong group, who are currently on trial as accomplices of President Lee Jaemyung." He continued, "Although the prosecution said it would appeal, it has been confirmed by Justice Minister Jeong Seongho himself that he prevented the appeal from being filed."

Han Donghoon, former representative. Photo by Yonhap News.

Han has been continuously criticizing the prosecution's decision not to appeal the first trial verdict in the Daejang-dong case. On November 7, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office decided not to appeal the first trial verdict against Kim Manbae, the major shareholder of Hwacheon Daeyu Asset Management, and others involved in the Daejang-dong case.

Han argued that the causal relationship regarding the prosecution's decision not to appeal the first trial in the Daejang-dong case is clear. He said, "Justice Minister Jeong Seongho intervened for President Lee Jaemyung, which led to the quasi-judicial prosecution's decision being overturned. Following Minister Jeong's instructions, investigators who went to the court's filing desk to submit the appeal had to turn back in disbelief."

In an interview on SBS Radio's 'Kim Taehyun's Political Show' that day, Han said, "In ordinary cases, even if someone steals a single Choco Pie, an appeal is filed. I have never seen or heard of a situation where an appeal is not filed even though there is now a structure in which 780 billion won (in breach of trust and bribery) cannot be recovered." He continued, "According to the principle of prohibition of unfavorable changes, even if Kim Manbae admits in the second trial that the entire 780 billion won was indeed embezzled, the sentence will not increase, and there is no way to recover more than 47.3 billion won (including the share for lawyer Jeong Minyong)."

He added, "By giving up the appeal in the first trial, Kim Manbae and his associates have essentially 'won the lottery.' After serving a few years in prison, they will be able to live lavishly with billions of won once released." He particularly mentioned the Cho Kuk case, saying, "In the past, President Moon Jaein wanted to protect his close aide Cho Kuk, but this time, President Lee Jaemyung is directly intervening in a case in which he is an accomplice, which is on a completely different level."