'Whitelist' Kim Ki-chun and Cho Yoon-sun acquitted of coercion, remanded... abuse of authority guilty

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Former Blue House Chief of Staff Kim Ki-chun, who was indicted on allegations of illegally supporting certain conservative groups during the Park Geun-hye administration, known as the so-called 'white list' scandal, will face a retrial in the appellate court.

The Supreme Court's 3rd Division (Presiding Justice Min Yoo-sook) overturned and remanded the case in the appeal trial of Kim, who was charged with abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights, and former Blue House Senior Secretary for Political Affairs Cho Yoon-sun, partially acquitting them.

The Supreme Court acknowledged Kim's guilt on charges of abuse of authority but ruled that the coercion charges were not valid, ordering a retrial in the appellate court.

Regarding the abuse of authority charges, the court stated, "The act of Kim and others demanding the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) to provide funding to certain politically aligned civic groups falls within the general duties of the Chief Presidential Secretary and the Senior Secretary for Political Affairs, constituting an abuse of authority."

However, on the coercion charges, the court judged "The demand for funding cannot be considered as threats or warnings of harm constituting coercion," and acquitted them. A Supreme Court official explained that this ruling was made "based on the legal principles established in the recent Supreme Court plenary session ruling on the state corruption cases involving Choi Seo-won (formerly Choi Soon-sil) and Ahn Jong-beom."

Kim and others were prosecuted for pressuring the Federation of Korean Industries from 2014 to 2016 to provide 6.9 billion won to 33 pro-government conservative groups. The first and second trials sentenced Kim to 1 year and 6 months in prison, and Cho to 1 year in prison with a 2-year suspended sentence. However, there was a split in judgment regarding the abuse of authority charges: the first trial acquitted them, but the second trial found them guilty.

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