Notice of Appeal Filed the Day After Court Detention on the 19th
Suhong Park's older brother, who was sentenced to prison in the appeals trial for embezzling tens of billions of won in appearance fees and other funds from the broadcaster, has filed an appeal against the verdict.
According to the legal community on December 23, Mr. Park, who was indicted on charges including embezzlement under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes, submitted a notice of appeal to the Seoul High Court’s Criminal Division 7 (Presiding Judge Lee Jaegwon) the previous day. Ms. Lee, Mr. Park’s spouse, who was also found guilty in the appeals trial, filed an appeal as well.
On December 19, the appellate court overturned the first trial’s sentence of two years in prison for Mr. Park and instead sentenced him to three years and six months in prison, ordering his immediate detention in court. Ms. Lee, who had been acquitted in the first trial, was sentenced to one year and six months in prison, suspended for two years, and was ordered to complete 120 hours of community service.
The court stated, "As a family member of a famous celebrity, the defendant betrayed public trust by using profits generated on the basis of that trust for personal enrichment. Considering that no meaningful effort has been made to compensate the victim and that the complainant is petitioning for a severe punishment, a strict sentence is unavoidable."
Previously, the first trial had found Mr. Park guilty only of embezzling 2.1 billion won in corporate funds, acquitting him of misappropriating personal funds. However, the appellate court reversed this decision and expanded the scope of the guilty verdict. Regarding Ms. Lee, the court recognized her involvement in breach of trust, noting her repeated use of the corporate card for non-business purposes such as at academies and amusement parks.
The couple was brought to trial on charges of embezzling approximately 4.8 billion won, including Suhong Park’s appearance fees, while operating two entertainment agencies over a period of ten years starting in 2011.
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