▲ Former President Yoon Suk Yeol (left) and former Defense Minister Lee Jong-seob
Former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was indicted on charges of aiding the overseas flight of former Defense Minister Lee Jong-seob—a suspect in the death of Corporal Chae Su-geun—has been acquitted in the first trial.
The 22nd Criminal Settlement Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Cho Hyung-woo) acquitted former President Yoon, who was indicted on charges of harboring a criminal, abuse of authority, and violation of the State Public Officials Act, today (11th).
Former National Security Office Director Cho Tae-yong, former Justice Minister Park Sung-je, former Vice Justice Minister Shim Woo-jung, former First Vice Foreign Minister Chang Ho-jin, and former Presidential Secretary for Public Discipline Lee Si-won, who were indicted along with him, were also all acquitted.
Previously, the independent counsel team led by Special Counsel Lee Myung-hyun had demanded a 5-year prison sentence for former President Yoon.
The court ruled that it cannot be concluded that there was an intention to obstruct the investigation into former Minister Lee behind former President Yoon's directive to appoint him as the Ambassador to Australia in November 2023.
The court pointed out, "There is room to view it as part of the exercise of personnel authority as the head of state," and added, "It cannot be seen that the previous ambassador was unreasonably ousted and Lee Jong-seob was 'forced in,' so to speak."
It also noted that no circumstances could be found where former Ambassador Lee defied the investigation, and that no investigation was conducted by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) from the time he returned from Australia until the special counsel team was launched.
The suspicion of flight to Australia refers to the incident in March 2024 when former Minister Lee, who was under investigation by the CIO as a key suspect in the case of external pressure on the investigation into Corporal Chae's death, was appointed as the Ambassador to Australia and left the country.
Former President Yoon was indicted on charges of ordering former Minister Lee's appointment as ambassador to Australia in November 2023, four months after Corporal Chae's death, in order to help him flee to Australia.
The special counsel team led by Lee Myung-hyun concluded that former President Yoon tried to send former Minister Lee abroad by appointing him as ambassador after suspicions such as the so-called 'VIP rage theory' began to surface in August of that year, and former Minister Lee—who had spoken directly with him regarding the case—was reported to the CIO.
Immediately after the sentencing, the special counsel team only stated that they would review an appeal, while former President Yoon's side welcomed the acquittal, stating, "Just because something is the subject of political criticism does not mean a crime is immediately established."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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