Former Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Yang Moon-seok hinted at the possibility of a retrial petition after the Supreme Court finalized a sentence that stripped him of his seat, but ultimately decided not to file one. Yang was sentenced to the loss of his parliamentary seat over a "loan fraud" case that arose during the process of purchasing an apartment in Gangnam District, Seoul.
On the 18th, Yang wrote on Facebook, "As a result of consulting with my attorney, I have decided not to proceed any further with the procedure of asking the Constitutional Court for another review through a retrial petition," adding, "I convey my regret and once again thank the many people who believed in me to the end."
On the 12th, the Supreme Court's Third Division (Presiding Justice Lee Heung-gu) finalized the lower court ruling that sentenced Yang to one year and six months in prison, suspended for three years—an outcome that results in the loss of his seat—on charges of fraud under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes.
Immediately after the Supreme Court ruling, Yang said, "I respect the Supreme Court ruling as it is," but added, "If it is determined that the Supreme Court ruling overlooked our family's basic rights, I will consult with the defense team and seek a ruling from the Constitutional Court."
This appeared to refer to the retrial petition that first took effect on the 12th. A retrial petition allows a constitutional complaint to be filed with the Constitutional Court against a finalized Supreme Court ruling on grounds of a violation of basic rights. The amendment to the Constitutional Court Act introducing the retrial petition passed the National Assembly's plenary session on the 27th of last month, led by the Democratic Party.