Former Coast Guard Deputy Chief Choi Sang-hwan Acquitted by Supreme Court in Sewol Ferry 'Undine Privilege' Allegation

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] Former Coast Guard Deputy Chief Choi Sang-hwan, who was indicted for giving preferential treatment to the rescue company 'Undine' immediately after the Sewol ferry disaster, has been acquitted.

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On the 11th, the Supreme Court's 2nd Division (Presiding Justice Park Sang-ok) upheld the lower court's ruling that acquitted former Deputy Chief Choi in the appeal trial on charges including abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights.

Former Deputy Chief Choi was prosecuted on charges of ordering the deployment of a barge belonging to Undine to the accident site during the Sewol ferry disaster on April 16, 2014. It was investigated that Choi instructed former Manager Park and others to mobilize Undine's barge, which had difficulty setting sail due to lack of safety inspection, for the Sewol rescue operation. He was also charged with refusing the deployment of another vessel that arrived two days earlier than Undine's barge.

Earlier, the first and second trials did not recognize the charges against former Deputy Chief Choi and other senior Coast Guard officials. Although Choi did receive gifts such as snow crabs and matsutake mushrooms from the Undine representative and dined with him, the court found that their relationship was not close enough to constitute preferential treatment.

The prosecution appealed, but the Supreme Court dismissed it. On the same day, former Coast Guard Search Division Chief Park, who was also indicted on the same charges, was acquitted as well.

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