Park Jiwon Acquitted of West Sea Official Cover-Up Charges: "I Want to End My Seocho-dong Ordeal"

Seoul Central District Court Acquits Defendants of Cover-Up Allegations

Park Jiwon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, commented on December 26 regarding the court's 'not guilty' verdict related to allegations of attempting to cover up the shooting of a public official in the West Sea, stating, "Although it is regrettably late, justice has finally prevailed."

On this day, Park expressed his thoughts through social media, declaring, "Park Jiwon has won."

He said, "Yoon Suk-yeol, who tried to eliminate me, has been dismissed and imprisoned, while Park Jiwon is not guilty," adding, "The judiciary has judged Yoon Suk-yeol's political scheme, which exploited the death of a citizen to eliminate a political opponent."

Park criticized, "For three and a half years, the honor of the National Intelligence Service, its employees, and myself, Park Jiwon, was mercilessly trampled by Yoon Suk-yeol, the Yoon Suk-yeol-led National Intelligence Service, the Yoon Suk-yeol-led prosecution, and the Yoon Suk-yeol-led Board of Audit and Inspection," adding, "Yoon Suk-yeol set back the capabilities of the nation's top intelligence agency by decades and privatized the National Intelligence Service, the prosecution, and the Board of Audit and Inspection."

Park Jiwon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is walking on the National Assembly premises on the 3rd. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

He also expressed his intention to put an end to his long-standing adversarial relationship with the judiciary, including the prosecution. Park stated, "After 25 years, I also want to bring closure to my 'Seocho-dong misfortune,'" and pledged, "I will repay with 'greater politics by Park Jiwon' in Yeouido alone."

On this day, the 25th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court also acquitted Park Jiwon, former National Security Office Director Suh Hoon, former Minister of National Defense Suh Wook, former Commissioner General of the Korea Coast Guard Kim Honghee, and former Chief Secretary to the Director of the National Intelligence Service Noh Eunchae, who were indicted on charges including abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights. The court found there was insufficient evidence to deem the charges illegal.