Gyeongbuk Provincial Council Member Receives 1-Year Prison Sentence in Appeal for 'Nomination Solicitation' to Geonjin Beopsa

Park Chang-wook, a Gyeongbuk Provincial Council member who was indicted on charges of soliciting a People Power Party nomination from Jeon Seong-bae, known as 'Geonjin Beopsa,' ahead of the June 1 local elections in 2022, has been sentenced to prison again in his appellate trial.

The 13th Criminal Division of the Seoul High Court (Presiding Judges Kim Moo-shin, Lee Woo-hee, and Yoo Dong-gyun) sentenced Park to one year in prison today (June 25), upholding the original verdict for violations of the Political Funds Act and the Real Name Financial Transactions Act.

Park was indicted without detention in September of last year on charges including violating the Political Funds Act for allegedly giving a Hanwoo beef gift set and 100 million won in cash to Jeon after his nomination for the local elections was confirmed in May 2022.

He was also charged with violating the Real Name Financial Transactions Act for conspiring with his spouse, identified as A, to borrow 100 million won from an acquaintance and transferring the money in smaller amounts through other people's accounts to provide the cash to Jeon.

The court maintained the lower court's decision to acquit Park of the charge of violating the Political Funds Act.

The court acknowledged that Park did deliver 100 million won in cash to Jeon, but concluded that it was difficult to view Jeon as a person engaged in political activities or to classify the money as political funds.

However, the charge of violating the Real Name Financial Transactions Act was upheld, consistent with the first trial.

The appellate court rebuked Park, stating, "As a candidate for the provincial council, he had a significant duty to reflect the will of the people in provincial administration with integrity, yet he attempted to distort public opinion during the election process, making the matter serious." The court added, "It is questionable whether he is truly remorseful, given the implausible excuses he provided during the investigation and trial."

Previously, the first-instance court sentenced Park, who was being tried without detention, to one year in prison and ordered him to be taken into custody in the courtroom.

The appellate court also deemed the sentence for Park's spouse, A, who was indicted as an accomplice and received a six-month prison sentence suspended for two years in the first trial, to be appropriate.

A broker surnamed Kim, who arranged the meeting between Park and Jeon, was sentenced to one year and four months in prison, a reduction of two months from the 18-month sentence given in the first trial.

Kim, who was charged with violating the Attorney-at-Law Act for allegedly receiving money from a construction company under the guise of a salary in exchange for promising to help them win public contracts through Jeon, received a reduced sentence after some evidence submitted by the special prosecutor's team led by Min Joong-ki was excluded.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
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