'Fraud Charges' Former Daejong Awards Business Director Jo Geun-woo Sentenced to Prison in First Trial

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] Jo Geun-woo, former head of the Daejong Film Festival Business Headquarters, who deceived victims by promising the position of chairman of the Daejong Film Festival organizing committee and embezzled money, has been sentenced to prison.

According to the legal community on the 18th, Judge Lee Yoo-young of the Seoul Eastern District Court Criminal Division 3 sentenced Jo, who was indicted on fraud charges, to three years in prison the day before.

Jo was prosecuted on charges of borrowing 200 million won in advance and not repaying it after proposing to victim A in 2015, when he was serving as head of the Daejong Film Festival Business Headquarters, that "if you donate 500 million won, you will be given the position of chairman of the film festival organizing committee."

In addition, Jo is also accused of deceiving victim B in August 2017, while serving as chairman of the Korea-China International Film Festival organizing committee, by saying, "We need more funds to prepare for the film festival, so if you lend money, I will receive money from sponsors and repay you," and receiving 350 million won in four installments.

The judge noted that at the time, due to the deployment of THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) and the resulting deterioration of Korea-China relations, the failure of the Korea-China International Film Festival was fully anticipated, and Jo lacked the ability to secure sponsors.

The judge explained the sentencing by stating, "The amount of damage is considerable, and the defendant denies the crime and shows no remorse."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.