First Trial Sentenced Jeon to 2 Years and 6 Months in Prison
Forfeiture and Fine Maintained
Court Points to "Compensation for Abuse of Position"
Jeon Jungyeong, former Deputy Director of the Democratic Research Institute, who was indicted on charges of receiving bribes worth approximately 800 million won from Baekhyeon-dong developers and others, was sentenced to three years in prison in the second trial after his sentence was increased.
Former Deputy Director Jeon Jungyeong of the Democratic Research Institute heading to court over allegations of accepting bribes worth hundreds of millions of won. Yonhap News Agency
The Seoul High Court Criminal Division 1 (Chief Judge Yoon Seongsik) sentenced former Deputy Director Jeon to three years in prison on December 5, in the sentencing hearing for charges of bribery and receiving money for influence under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes. The fine of 52 million won and the forfeiture of 88.08 million won imposed in the first trial were maintained.
The court stated, "The defendant claims to have continuously provided consulting services, but it is highly questionable whether the consulting services provided to several companies truly amount to 800 million won in total," adding, "It can only be seen that the defendant received such compensation by taking advantage of his position."
From July 2015 to March last year, former Deputy Director Jeon was brought to trial on charges of receiving a total of approximately 780 million won and a Genesis sedan from seven companies in exchange for mediating complaints to the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission and facilitating local government permits. Of this amount, more than 100 million won and the sedan were reportedly provided by Jeon, Chairman of Paul Asia Developer, who is linked to the Baekhyeon-dong development corruption case.
He also faces charges of receiving 26 million won in bribes in connection with his duties as a non-standing member of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, such as making decisions on complaints, between January and July 2017.
From 2015 to 2018, Jeon served as a non-standing member of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, was President of the Yongin Institute of Policy Studies in 2020, and Deputy Director of the Democratic Research Institute, the think tank of the Democratic Party of Korea, in 2021.
Previously, the first trial court sentenced Jeon to two years and six months in prison and ordered his immediate detention in April. The first trial did not accept Jeon's claim that he only received consulting fees for legitimate consulting, stating, "Through relationships formed during the performance of his duties and position, he repeatedly mediated permit-related complaints."
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