Will Prosecutors Again Forgo Appeal in 'Daejang-dong Lookalike' Wirye Case? Appeal Deadline Is Tomorrow

All Private Sector Defendants, Including Yoo Donggyu and Nam Wook, Acquitted in First Trial
Precedent of Abandoning Appeal in Daejang-dong Case
First Trial Verdict to Be Finalized If Prosecutors Forgo Appeal
High Likelihood of Acquittal for President Lee Jaemyung

Attention is now focused on whether prosecutors will appeal the first trial verdict in the Wirye New Town development corruption case, which was called a "rehearsal" due to its structural similarity to the Daejang-dong case, after all private sector operators were acquitted. In legal circles, the prevailing view is that prosecutors are unlikely to appeal, given the precedent of abandoning an appeal in the Daejang-dong case.

Lawyer Nam Wook is attending the first trial sentencing hearing for charges of violating the Political Funds Act and bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the 30th. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

According to the legal community on February 3, the deadline for appealing the first trial verdict in the Wirye development corruption case, which was delivered on January 28, is February 4. Previously, the Seoul Central District Court acquitted Yoo Donggyu, former head of planning at Seongnam Development Corporation, lawyer Nam Wook, accountant Jung Younghak, and others known as the "Daejang-dong group," who were indicted for violating the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission Act.

The court determined that the information obtained by private operators during the project process constituted "confidential information acquired in the course of duty." However, it found that what they gained by using this confidential information was merely "operator status," which had no direct causal relationship with the "dividend profits" specified in the indictment.

The analysis that prosecutors will forgo an appeal is based on concerns about consistency with the Daejang-dong case. In October of last year, after a not-guilty verdict was delivered on the charge of violating the Conflict of Interest Prevention Act in the first trial of the Daejang-dong case, prosecutors stated there was "no practical benefit" and abandoned the appeal. This decision at the time led to severe internal strife, with many senior officials resigning or being reassigned as a form of disciplinary action.

If prosecutors do not file an appeal, the not-guilty verdict from the first trial will stand as the final decision. In this scenario, there is a high likelihood that the related charges against President Lee Jaemyung, which are currently ongoing, will also result in acquittal. If the charges against the private sector operators, considered "accomplices," are not recognized, the logic for holding President Lee, who had the authority to approve the project, accountable will also lose strength. President Lee was indicted on charges related to the Daejang-dong and Wirye development corruption cases before his election, but the trial has been suspended since he took office.