'Prosecutor Entertainment Allegation' Defendant Side Asks Prosecution to "Clarify Basis for Paying Bar Tab"

Former Star Mobility Chairman Kim Bong-hyun Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] The defense side of the defendant in the 'prosecutor's drinking entertainment' allegation, exposed by former Star Mobility Chairman Kim Bong-hyun, has demanded that the prosecution clearly clarify the basis for calculating the cost of the entertainment drinks.

At the preparatory hearing held on the 27th at the Seoul Southern District Court, the lawyer representing Attorney A, who was indicted on charges of violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act (Kim Young-ran Act), stated, "It is necessary to verify how the prosecution specifically calculated the amount for the drinking party and whether it corresponds to the actual situation."

He added, "If the amount calculation is not confirmed, it will be difficult to proceed with future schedules such as witness examination or evidence investigation," emphasizing, "This is a prerequisite that must be confirmed before entering the trial."

The prosecution said, "We assumed that five people attended the drinking party at the time and calculated based on that standard," adding, "We will submit the specific calculation method in a written opinion."

When indicting them last December, the prosecution set the number of attendees at the drinking party as five and calculated the entertainment expenses per person. On the other hand, the defendant's side claims that the number of attendees at the drinking party was seven, so the amount of entertainment received per person does not reach the criminal punishment threshold (1 million won).

The court decided to hold one more preparatory hearing to set the witness examination schedule after the defendant's side completes additional review and copying of evidence and decides whether to agree.

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