The prosecution has decided not to appeal to the Supreme Court in the case of former Minister of National Defense Song Youngmoo, who was acquitted in the second trial after being charged with forcing senior officials to sign false documents.
On December 4, the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office announced, "We have decided not to file an appeal against the acquittals of former Minister Song, former military aide Jeong Haeil, and former spokesperson Choi Hyunsu in both the first and appellate trials."
The prosecution added, "Given that the Criminal Appeal Review Committee of the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office, which is composed entirely of external members, resolved not to pursue an appeal, we have determined that there would be little practical benefit in proceeding and have thus decided not to appeal."
Former Minister Song became the subject of suspicion in July 2018 following media reports that he had commented, regarding the martial law review document prepared by the former Defense Security Command under the Park Geun-hye administration, that "the Defense Security Command's review of the Garrison Act was not wrong."
He was subsequently charged with abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights for allegedly preparing a fact-confirmation statement asserting "no such incident occurred" during a meeting presided over by the minister with 14 senior officials, and having the attendees sign it.
Previously, the Seoul Western District Court acquitted the defendants in the first trial, and on November 27, the appellate court also dismissed the prosecution's appeal and upheld the acquittal. Jeong, the former aide, and Choi, the former spokesperson, who had also been acquitted in the first trial on the same charges, were likewise found not guilty.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
