A former police officer who leaked investigative information about the late Lee Seon-gyun received a suspended prison sentence.
On the 17th, Kim Saet-byeol, presiding judge of Criminal Division 11 at Incheon District Court, at the sentencing hearing that day, ordered former Inspector A, in his 30s, who was indicted on charges including leaking official secrets, to one year and two months in prison with a two-year suspension and 80 hours of community service.
The court sentenced reporter B, in his 30s, who was indicted on charges of providing personal information such as the real names of investigation subjects received from former Inspector A to another reporter, to a fine of 5 million won.
Judge Kim Saet-byeol said, "Former Inspector A leaked investigation-related personal information twice, and B disclosed information he received from A to another reporter, committing a crime that undermines public trust, so their culpability is not light," and added, "They admitted their wrongdoing and the crimes did not cause substantial disruption to the investigation. Former Inspector A served diligently as a police officer for 10 years but was dismissed because of this incident, and B was also disciplined at his workplace; the fact that acquaintances petitioned for leniency was also considered," explaining the reasoning for the sentence.
Former Inspector A was indicted on charges of leaking information to two reporters, including B, in October 2023 by taking photos of materials detailing the progress of the investigation into the late Lee Seon-gyun's drug allegations and sending them. Previously, the prosecution had sought three years in prison for A and six months in prison for B, respectively.
Meanwhile, the late Lee Seon-gyun was booked on Oct. 14, 2023, underwent three police summons investigations over two months, and was found dead near Waryong Park in Jongno District, Seoul, on Dec. 26.
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