Prosecutors again sought a nine-year prison sentence on appeal for Pine Tree Party leader Song Young-gil (former Democratic Party of Korea leader), who is accused of spreading cash-stuffed envelopes at the Democratic Party of Korea convention and receiving illegal political funds, after requesting the same in the first trial.
Prosecutors made the request at the sentencing hearing in the case against Song for violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Crimes (bribery) and other charges, heard by the Seoul High Court Criminal Division 1 (Presiding Judge Yoon Sung-sik).
In their final opinion, prosecutors pointed out that the first-instance court did not recognize as admissible evidence the mobile phone audio recordings of former Democratic Party of Korea Deputy Secretary-General Lee Jung-geun, which set off the case, and therefore found all charges related to the cash envelopes not guilty.
At the time, the court found that among the electronic data on the phone voluntarily submitted while Lee was in custody, items unrelated to the influence-peddling case constituted illegally collected evidence. Only if evidence is admissible can the court weigh its probative value to decide guilt or innocence, but admissibility was not recognized.
Prosecutors said, "In court, Lee consistently testified that there was no prosecutorial coercion regarding the evidence voluntarily submitted," noting that in more than three years of investigations and trials after Lee's voluntary submission, there was no challenge or retraction of that submission.
They added, "Even though the submitting party asserts it, having admissibility denied by a defendant or others who are not the submitting party is improper," and said, "We request the same sentence recommendation as the original trial for Song." Earlier, at the first trial's sentencing hearing held in Nov. 2024, prosecutors sought a nine-year prison term for Song.
In his final statement, Song said, "The investigation by the prosecution's special investigation division into this case was an investigation targeting Song Young-gil," and requested, "Please give me another chance for the work I have devoted myself to."
Song faces the so-called "cash envelope" allegations. He is accused of involvement in the process of distributing cash envelopes totaling 66.5 million won to party lawmakers and regional headquarters heads in Mar.–Apr. 2021 to win election as party leader at the Democratic Party of Korea convention.
He is also accused of receiving illegal political funds under the guise of donations while operating the external organization, the incorporated association "Institute for Peace and Livelihood Issues" (Meoksa-yeon), which supports and assists his political activities.
Song was acquitted of the charge of involvement in the process of distributing cash envelopes during the Democratic Party of Korea convention primary. However, he was sentenced to two years in prison for receiving illegal political funds in the name of donations through Meoksa-yeon.
Meanwhile, the appellate court scheduled the sentencing for the 13th of next month.