‘First Trial Imprisonment’ Doosan Family 4th Generation Park Jung-won Files Appeal with Court

On November 4, 2009, at the funeral hall of Seoul National University Hospital where the late Chairman Park Yong-oh's wake was held, Park Jung-won, then Vice President of Seongji Construction and the second son, was released on bail suspension and was seen choking up./Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] Park Jung-won, former Vice President of Seongji Construction and the 4th generation of the Doosan family, who was indicted on charges including fraud involving several hundred million won and sentenced to three years in prison in the first trial, has appealed the first trial verdict.

According to the legal community on the 20th, Park submitted an appeal to the Seoul Central District Court on the 19th, the seventh day from the day the first trial verdict was announced. Article 358 of the Criminal Procedure Act stipulates that "the period for filing an appeal shall be seven days."

Park disappeared after the sentencing date was set in October 2018 and did not attend the trial. Eventually, on the 12th, Judge Kim Jun-hyuk of the Criminal Division 5 of the Seoul Central District Court sentenced Park to three years in prison in absentia according to the procedures prescribed by relevant laws.

At that time, the court pointed out, “The defendant committed the crime again despite having a prior record of punishment for similar offenses, and the nature of the crime is serious as he forged and used contracts during the commission of the crime.”

It added, “The amount defrauded was large, most of which was used for living expenses unrelated to the business, and the defendant denied all charges and absconded, failing to appear at the trial.”

The court also stated the sentencing rationale, “All charges are proven guilty by evidence, and severe punishment is necessary.”

Park, the second son of the late Park Yong-oh, former chairman of Doosan Group, was indicted three times between 2017 and 2018 on charges of borrowing and failing to repay a total of about 420 million won from four victims between 2011 and 2016.

During the borrowing process, he deceived victims by claiming he was engaged in mergers and acquisitions business and promising high interest if they lent money, or that he would use his connections to help supply large supermarkets.

While the sentencing was delayed due to Park’s absence from court, an additional case involving fraud of about 70 million won and forgery of private documents was merged.

When victims who lent money under the pretext of company acquisition requested to see the acquisition contract, he forged the contract and showed it, leading to additional charges of forgery of private documents.

He had attended trials since March 2018 but disappeared after the sentencing date was set, missing all three sentencing dates. Ultimately, the court proceeded with the trial in absentia using public notice delivery and issued the verdict.

Public notice delivery refers to posting on the court bulletin board or official gazette when the whereabouts of a party to the trial are unknown.

Article 23 of the Special Act on Promotion of Litigation states that except for cases involving the death penalty, life imprisonment, or imprisonment exceeding 10 years, if six months have passed since a report that delivery to the defendant in the first trial is impossible was received and the defendant’s whereabouts cannot be confirmed, the trial may proceed without the defendant’s statement.

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