Jung Kyung-shim Starts Round 2 Today... Prosecution and Defense Lineups Remain Unchanged

Professor Jeong Kyung-shim, Dongyang University / Photo by Jin-hyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] The first appellate trial for Professor Jeong Gyeongshim of Dongyang University, who was indicted on charges of admission fraud involving her children and illegal private equity investments and sentenced to imprisonment in the first trial, will be held on the 15th.

The Seoul High Court Criminal Division 1-2 (Presiding Judge Eom Sangpil) will hold the first preparatory hearing for the appeal trial of Professor Jeong, who was prosecuted for forgery of private documents, at 2:30 p.m. that day. The preparatory hearing is a procedure in which the court listens to the prosecution and defense's plans for presenting evidence and selects necessary evidence and witnesses before the formal trial begins. Since the defendant is not required to attend, Professor Jeong is expected not to appear in court.

The court is expected to confirm both parties' positions on the first trial's verdict that day. Previously, the first trial found Professor Jeong guilty of admission fraud charges and some charges related to the private equity firm Kolink Private Equity (Kolink PE), sentencing her to four years in prison. Professor Jeong, who was released on bail during the first trial, was detained in court after the prison sentence was handed down.

The prosecution team, including Chief Prosecutor Ko Hyonggon and other investigative prosecutors, will participate in maintaining the indictment in the appeal trial as they did in the first trial. The prosecution achieved a near-complete victory by securing guilty verdicts on 11 out of 15 charges against Professor Jeong in the first trial. In response, Professor Jeong's defense team, including Lawyer Kim Chiljun of Dasan Law Firm and Lawyer Lee Gwangbeom, CEO of LKB & Partners, will maintain the same lineup as in the first trial.

The appeal trial will be held as a mutual appeal. The prosecution filed an appeal on four charges that were acquitted, citing reasons such as 'misinterpretation of facts,' while Professor Jeong's side appealed the 11 charges that were found guilty, citing 'misinterpretation of law.' Accordingly, a fierce legal battle is expected to continue in the appeal trial, just as in the first trial.

The appellate court for Professor Jeong's case was reorganized following the court's regular personnel reshuffle last month. Previously composed of one chief judge and two judges of the high court, the panel is now an equal-status panel consisting entirely of chief judges. The three chief judges take turns presiding over cases. In Professor Jeong's case, Chief Judge Eom Sangpil (age 53, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 23) will preside, with Chief Judge Shim Dam (age 52, class 24) serving as the lead judge. Both Chief Judges Eom and Shim have experience presiding over criminal panels at the Seoul Central District Court.

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