Lee Hwa-young, the former Peace Vice Governor of Gyeonggi Province, who is currently imprisoned due to the Syangbangul North Korea remittance case, is set to contest his conviction through a retrial. His defense team is also considering a request for a suspension of his sentence, with the central argument focusing on claims of coercion during the investigation process. The separate perjury appeal trial related to the 'salmon party' will also challenge the credibility of these claims.
According to legal sources on November 2, Lee's defense team plans to submit a retrial request to the Suwon High Court at 9 a.m. on November 3.
Last June, Lee was sentenced to a total of 7 years and 8 months in prison for charges including North Korea remittance and bribery related to political funds.
The retrial aims to overturn the guilty verdict, while the suspension of the sentence requests a temporary halt to his imprisonment. However, filing for a retrial does not guarantee immediate release or a new trial; the court must recognize valid grounds for a retrial, such as the discovery of new and clear evidence.
The allegations surrounding the 'salmon party' focus on how statements related to the North Korea remittance were obtained. Lee claims that prosecutors coerced his testimony by providing alcohol and food, but he was sentenced to four months in prison for perjury in June after testifying that he received alcohol at the National Assembly.
The first hearing for the perjury appeal trial will take place on December 11 in the Suwon High Court's Criminal Division 2, presided over by Judge Kim Geon-woo. Lee's defense team has also requested a constitutional review regarding the majority verdict provision, as four out of seven jurors found him guilty.
Both the provision of alcohol and the alleged coercion of testimony must be proven separately. The appellate court for the North Korea remittance case has already dismissed the claims regarding the 'salmon party' and coercion, so the retrial must present grounds to overturn the previous judgment. Even if Lee is acquitted in the perjury case, it will not automatically reverse the North Korea remittance conviction.
The connection to President Lee Jae-myung lies in the nature of the funds allegedly covered by Syangbangul. Prosecutors believe that Syangbangul paid $5 million for Gyeonggi Province's North Korean smart farm project and $3 million for then-Governor Lee's visit to North Korea. President Lee has also been separately indicted in June 2024 for alleged collusion with Lee Hwa-young.
If it is proven that the statements regarding the North Korea remittance were coerced, it could provide grounds to challenge the credibility of evidence in President Lee's case. However, even if the judgment in Lee Hwa-young's retrial changes, the question of President Lee's collusion and criminal liability will be determined in a separate trial.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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