Prosecutors have requested a two-year prison sentence and a fine of 5 million won for Lee Hwa-young, the former Peace Vice Governor of Gyeonggi Province, who is charged with perjury related to the so-called "salmon drinking party." The citizen participation trial, which lasted ten days, concluded its deliberation process, leaving only the jury's verdict and the court's ruling.
On June 19, the 11th Criminal Division of the Suwon District Court, presided over by Judge Song Byeong-hoon, held the conclusion hearing for Lee's trial regarding violations of the Political Funds Act, the National Assembly testimony law, and abuse of authority.
During the hearing, prosecutors requested a two-year prison sentence for perjury and abuse of authority, along with a fine of 5 million won for the Political Funds Act violation.
The prosecution presented a three-hour presentation starting at 9:30 a.m., outlining the charges and the basis for a guilty verdict. They stated, "The defendant denies the charges, and considering the established verdict in a related case involving violations of the Foreign Exchange Transaction Act, we have determined the requested sentence."
They added, "This case has become a political issue since it became a citizen participation trial. We ask the jury to make a wise and just decision based on law, evidence, conscience, and common sense, free from political considerations."
The central issue in this trial is the alleged perjury related to the so-called "salmon drinking party." Lee is accused of testifying in October of last year during a National Assembly Judiciary Committee hearing regarding the impeachment of prosecutor Park Sang-yong, claiming that a drinking party was held in the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office Room 1313 to manipulate testimony.
While prosecutors assert that this statement is false, Lee's defense argues that there were indeed attempts to coerce testimony. The trial also focused on inconsistencies in Lee's statements regarding the date, location, and whether alcohol was consumed during the alleged party.
The jury will also consider the charge of violating the Political Funds Act. Prosecutors allege that Lee facilitated "split funding" from Kim Seong-tae, the former chairman of Double-You Group, for Lee Jae-myung's presidential campaign during the 2018 Gyeonggi gubernatorial election and the 2021 Democratic Party primary.
Regarding the abuse of authority charge, the key issue is whether Lee improperly advanced a North Korean aid project despite opposition from staff during his tenure as Peace Vice Governor.
Before assessing the substantive charges, the jury will review the defense's claims of prosecutorial abuse of power. The defense argues that the prosecution's decision to separate the charges constitutes "split indictment."
The jury's verdict will be advisory and not legally binding. However, if the jury accepts the claim of prosecutorial abuse, they could recommend dismissing the charges, which will be a point of interest for the court's ruling.
This trial, which began on June 8, has been one of the longest citizen participation trials in history, addressing multiple charges, including violations of the Political Funds Act, abuse of authority, and perjury, along with the claim of prosecutorial abuse.
It is expected that the jury deliberation will take considerable time. Legal experts predict that due to the complexity of the charges and issues involved, the court's ruling may extend into the early hours of June 20.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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