To avoid involving Lee Jae-myung? South Korean prosecutors order to abandon appeal in "Dajang-dong development case"
Lee Jae-myung, the current president of South Korea, was at the center of the Dajang-dong development case when he served as mayor of Seongnam City, Gyeonggi Province. The case has long been controversial due to allegations that it benefited specific companies. This case also became one of the core controversies between him and Yoon Suk-yeol during the 20th presidential election. Recently, after the first instance verdict on the Dajang-dong scandal, the prosecution's senior officials ordered the investigation team to give up the appeal, causing a public outcry. After the incident was exposed, the head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, Jeong Jin-woo, has submitted his resignation.
According to the Donga Ilbo, on October 31, the Seoul Central District Court ruled that several defendants, including major shareholders of the Dajang-dong developer "Hwatae Daewoo Asset Management Company" and senior officials of the Seongnam Urban Development Corporation, were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 4 to 8 years. The defendants appealed against the verdict, but the prosecution investigation team was forced to abandon the appeal before the midnight deadline on November 7 due to pressure from superiors.
Under South Korean procedural law, once the prosecution gives up the appeal, the defendants will not face a harsher sentence in the second trial, meaning the sentences of those involved in the Dajang-dong case may remain the same or be reduced.
The prosecution team responsible for the case expressed strong dissatisfaction. On the morning of the 8th, they issued a statement saying that the appeal documents had already been prepared, but the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and the leadership of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office suddenly requested to "pause the appeal" on the afternoon of the 7th, and clearly ordered "not to appeal" before midnight.
This order shocked the South Korean political arena. Jeong Jin-woo had only been appointed as the chief prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in July this year, and he resigned just four months later due to the incident.
Since the Dajang-dong case is closely related to Lee Jae-myung, the prosecution's senior officials ordering to abandon the appeal was viewed by the opposition as "political interference in judicial affairs." The ruling party "People Power Party" strongly criticized the move as an attempt to "exonerate" Lee Jae-myung; the Reform New Party condemned the government for "manipulating judicial fairness with political hands," and demanded a full disclosure of the relevant decision-making process. (Rural Cat)
Photo: South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, during his tenure as mayor of Seongnam City, Gyeonggi Province, the Dajang-dong development scandal occurred. Recently, after the first instance verdict of several defendants, the prosecution's senior officials ordered to abandon the appeal, which was suspected of using political power to hinder judicial fairness. (EPA)
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1848224262190344/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.