A former senior prosecutor who was brought to trial on charges of receiving 100 million won in cash as a bribe in the so‑called "Chung Un-ho gate" had a prison sentence finalized.
The Supreme Court's First Division (presiding Justice Seo Kyung-hwan) on the 3rd upheld a lower court ruling that sentenced former prosecutor Park, indicted on charges of violating the Attorney‑at‑Law Act, to two years in prison and a forfeiture of 92 million won.
Former Nature Republic CEO Chung Un-ho pursued business expansion by acquiring the business rights of Company A, an operator of subway commercial spaces. The Board of Audit and Inspection was auditing the process by which Seoul Metro selected Company A as the operator.
To quash the audit, Chung asked former prosecutor Park in 2014, who was a high school junior to a senior official at the Board of Audit and Inspection. Former prosecutor Park was found to have demanded money and valuables, saying "expenses are needed."
Prosecutors indicted former prosecutor Park and Choi, who acted as the go‑between for the money, in May 2017. Choi's sentence of one year in prison, suspended for two years, was finalized in December that year. The trial for former prosecutor Park was stayed for five years due to a claimed deterioration in Park's health, then resumed in April 2022.
In June 2023, the court of first instance sentenced former prosecutor Park to two years in prison. The appeals court maintained the same sentence in Oct. last year. The bench found, "The charge that the defendant and Choi colluded to receive 100 million won from former CEO Chung has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt."
Former prosecutor Park appealed, but the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, saying there was no error in the lower court's judgment.
"Chung Un-ho gate" is a legal corruption case involving multiple legal professionals, including a former chief prosecutor and former senior judge‑turned‑lawyers. It surfaced in 2016, prompting a sweeping investigation and punishments.