Independent Jin U (59), a Gimje City council member in North Jeolla Province who was indicted on charges of stalking a former romantic partner, admitted the charges again on appeal. However, the position is to contest the sentence as too heavy.
At the first appellate hearing on July 1 in the case of violating the anti-stalking law for Council Member Yu, held under the Criminal Division 3-2 of the Jeonju District Court (Presiding Judge Seo Su-jeong, chief judge), Yu's attorney said, "The defendant admits all the allegations in the indictment."
The attorney added, "However, since the defendant is contesting the sentence, please give us one opportunity to question a witness," and applied to call former Gimje Mayor Lee Geon-sik as a witness.
Lee served as Gimje mayor from 2006 to 2017. In 2017, a sentence of one year and six months in prison, suspended for three years, was finalized on breach of trust charges, costing Lee the mayoral post.
After the hearing, Yu met with reporters and said, "If you show leniency this time, I will work myself to the bone for the citizens." When asked why Lee was requested as a witness, Yu trailed off, saying, "It's a personal matter, so just a bit…"
Yu was brought to trial on charges of repeatedly sending text messages and visiting A's workplace, even after the court in 2023 issued a temporary order not to meet or contact former partner A.
The court of first instance sentenced Yu to eight months in prison, suspended for two years.
In 2020, Yu was also expelled from the Gimje City Council over an inappropriate relationship with a fellow council member. Yu was later reelected and is currently serving a fourth term.
Yu's next hearing will be held at 4 p.m. on the 13th of next month.