Special Counsel Calls Acquittal of Former Security Service Chief in 'Yoon Suk Yeol Secure Phone Data Deletion' Case 'Difficult to Accept'

▲ Park Jong-jun, former Chief of the Presidential Security Service, who was indicted on charges of obstructing the execution of an arrest warrant by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials against former President Yoon Suk Yeol, attends his first-instance sentencing hearing for obstruction of special official duties at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on July 9.

The special counsel team has argued that it is "difficult to accept" the first-instance acquittal of former Presidential Security Service Chief Park Jong-jun, who was indicted on charges of deleting secure phone data belonging to former President Yoon Suk Yeol and others following the December 3 emergency martial law declaration.

The special counsel team led by Cho Eun-seok, investigating the insurrection case, requested during the first appellate hearing held today (July 14) at the Seoul High Court, presided over by the 12-2 Criminal Division (Presiding Judges Cho Jin-gu, Kim Min-a, and Lee Seung-cheol), that the court overturn the lower court's acquittal and sentence Park to three years in prison, consistent with their original sentencing recommendation.

The special counsel team stated, "The defendant gave the order to delete the data while fully aware that the secure phone information was evidence for the investigation, meaning the intent to destroy evidence is clearly established," adding, "It is difficult to accept the lower court's judgment that denied the intent to destroy evidence."

The team explained, "Following the unprecedented declaration of emergency martial law, complaints were filed against Yoon Suk Yeol and others, and the National Assembly introduced an impeachment motion," and added, "There is no room for disagreement that the data stored on the secure phone of a person suspected as a key figure in the insurrection is evidence that investigative agencies must secure."

They further emphasized, "The defendant, as the top official in charge of presidential security, possesses more investigative experience and information-gathering capabilities than the average person," and "He clearly recognized that the secure phone records were evidence for criminal cases and impeachment proceedings against Yoon Suk Yeol."

In response, Park's defense counsel argued, "At the time, the call records of Hong Jang-won (former First Deputy Director of the National Intelligence Service) were leaked to the media, leading to the exposure of Yoon Suk Yeol's secure phone ID and device model," and "The National Intelligence Service deemed this a security breach and requested action from the Security Service, and the defendant instructed his staff to take countermeasures."

The counsel continued, "The special counsel team claims this was done with the intent to destroy evidence, but that is not valid," and asserted, "The defendant was merely performing his duties as the Chief of the Presidential Security Service."

Park was given the opportunity to speak directly, stating, "While the Security Service officials may have been hasty or exercised poor judgment, I had no intention whatsoever to protect the president by breaking the law," and pleaded for his innocence.

The court plans to hold one more hearing on August 11 for evidence examination and questioning of the defendant, after which it intends to conclude the proceedings if possible.

Park was indicted in December last year on charges of arbitrarily deleting secure phone data belonging to former President Yoon, former Deputy Director Hong, and former Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Chief Kim Bong-sik via remote logout following the emergency martial law incident.

In May, the first-instance court ruled him not guilty, stating, "Just because the measures taken were insufficient or there were more desirable methods in hindsight, it cannot be presumed that there was an intent to destroy evidence."

The court's position was that Park had deleted the information as a security measure in a situation where former President Yoon's secure phone ID and other details had been exposed.

Separately from this case, Park was sentenced to four years in prison and taken into court custody on July 9 in a first-instance trial for obstructing the execution of an arrest warrant by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials against former President Yoon.

(Photo: Yonhap News)

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