Lee Myung-bak "Prosecutors, Return Yeongpo Building Blue House Documents to the Records Office" Final Lawsuit Defeat

by Kim HyeongMin

Published 30 Apr.2020 10:21(KST)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Former President Lee Myung-bak ultimately lost the lawsuit demanding that the old Blue House government documents seized by the prosecution during the search of the Youngpo Building be transferred to the Presidential Archives of the National Archives of Korea.

According to the court on the 30th, the Supreme Court's 2nd Division (Presiding Justice Kim Sang-hwan) dismissed the appeal without oral argument in the lawsuit filed by former President Lee against the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office and the National Archives, seeking confirmation of illegal inaction.

Dismissal without oral argument is a system where the court dismisses the case without substantive review unless there is a special reason such as a violation of law.

In January 2018, during the search and seizure of the underground warehouse of the Youngpo Building in Seocho-gu, Seoul, the prosecution secured documents related to the automobile parts company DAS as well as Blue House documents from the Lee Myung-bak administration.

The prosecution judged that there was suspicion of violation of the Presidential Records Management Act because these documents, which should have been in the Presidential Archives, were found in the building's warehouse, and additionally obtained a search warrant for those documents.

In response, former President Lee's side filed a lawsuit arguing that the prosecution violated legal procedures by seizing presidential records and failing to transfer them to the archives, which is against the law.

The first trial court dismissed the case, ruling that former President Lee did not have the right to request the transfer of presidential records from the prosecution and the National Archives.