A suspended prison sentence was finalized for attorney Gwak Jeong-gi (52), a former senior superintendent in the police, who was indicted on charges of taking money in return for a request to quash an investigation into the "Baekhyeon-dong development corruption case."
On the 24th, the Supreme Court's Third Division (presiding Justice Lee Heung-gu) finalized the lower court's sentence of two years and six months in prison, suspended for four years, and a forfeiture of 50 million won for former Senior Superintendent Gwak, who was put on trial on charges of violating the Attorney‑at‑Law Act.
Former Senior Superintendent Gwak was indicted and detained in January 2024 on charges that in June to July 2022 he received 50 million won in funds labeled for mingling with and making requests to public officials, in addition to a 700 million won retainer related to the police investigation into the Baekhyeon-dong case, from Jeong Ba-ul, chairman of Asia Developer, a private operator in the Baekhyeon-dong development project. He is also accused of handing 4 million won as a case referral fee to a person surnamed Park (60), then an inspector in active service.
In the first trial, the court acquitted Gwak of the charge of receiving 50 million won in connection with a request to quash the Baekhyeon-dong investigation, saying it was hard to find that the allegation was proven to the point of reasonable conviction. The court found him guilty of giving a case referral fee to Inspector Park and imposed a fine of 10 million won.
In the second trial, the court also found Gwak guilty of taking 50 million won as consideration for a request to quash the investigation and sentenced him to two years and six months in prison, suspended for four years, with a forfeiture of 50 million won.
The appellate court said, "There was only confusion about the place where cash was first requested; the purpose and amount of the cash, which are key to the indictment, were very specific, and subsequent details were consistent," and explained the sentencing by noting, "Former Senior Superintendent Gwak's conduct undermines public trust in investigative agencies and spreads a wrong perception of preferential treatment for former officials across society, making it highly blameworthy."
Gwak appealed, but the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal. Inspector Park, who was put on trial on charges of receiving a referral fee from Gwak, had a fine of 10 million won and a forfeiture of 6.35 million won finalized.
Former Senior Superintendent Gwak passed the bar exam, completed the Judicial Research and Training Institute, and was commissioned through a special recruitment at the Korean National Police Agency. He served as head of the Special Investigation Division at the Korean National Police Agency and as head of the Intellectual Crime Investigation Unit at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency before moving to a law firm in 2019. While in the police, he investigated the Burning Sun nightclub case.