Yoon Seok-yeol's Mother-in-Law Denies 'Fraudulent Receipt of Long-term Care Benefits' Charges in Court

Choi, the mother-in-law of former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] Choi Mo (74), the mother-in-law of former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, who was indicted on charges of fraudulently receiving over 2.2 billion won in medical benefits from the National Health Insurance Service, denied the related charges in court on the 24th.

At the first trial of Choi held on the same day at the Uijeongbu District Court Criminal Division 13 (Presiding Judge Jeong Seong-gyun), the prosecution stated, "Although Choi is not a doctor, she conspired with business partners to operate as a non-profit medical corporation, but in reality established a for-profit medical institution, violating the Medical Service Act," and added, "She applied for medical benefits and fraudulently received 2.29 billion won from the National Health Insurance Service."

When the court asked, "Do you admit to the charges?" Choi replied, "I do not admit."

When asked, "Is it true that your son-in-law Yoo Mo worked at the nursing hospital you opened and reported on its operations?" Choi answered, "It is true that my son-in-law worked there, but I neither received reports nor gave instructions regarding the operations."

However, regarding the fact that she received 2.29 billion won in medical benefits, which she agreed not to dispute with the prosecution, the court asked, "Does this mean you find it difficult to admit to conspiring to receive medical benefits?" to which Choi responded, "That is correct."

On the same day, Choi's defense attorney claimed, "(The prosecution) filed the indictment by selectively editing only parts of the past investigation records from investigative agencies."

Choi was non-detained indicted on charges of fraud (under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes) for fraudulently receiving 2.29 billion won in medical benefits from the National Health Insurance Service while opening and operating a nursing hospital in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, together with three business partners from 2013 to 2015.

Originally, the investigation began in 2015 at the Paju Police Station, and only the three business partners were booked. They were prosecuted, and in 2017, one was sentenced to four years in prison, while the other two received two years and six months in prison with four years of probation, respectively.

Choi, who was a co-chairperson of the board, was not booked because she received a "letter of exemption from responsibility" stating that she would not be held accountable for hospital operations when she stepped down as chairperson in 2014.

However, last April, re-investigation began after Choi Kang-wook, leader of the Open Democratic Party, Hwang Hee-seok, Supreme Council member of the Open Democratic Party, and others filed complaints against former Prosecutor General Yoon, his wife Kim Geon-hee, and mother-in-law Choi on various charges.

In October of last year, then Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae issued an investigative directive excluding former Prosecutor General Yoon from directing investigations related to several cases involving Yoon himself, his wife, mother-in-law, and close family members.

However, a few days later, at the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee's National Police Agency inspection, People Power Party lawmaker Jang Je-won played videos showing Democratic Party lawmakers Kim Jong-min and Song Ki-heon, who were present at the hearing, stating that the allegations during Yoon's confirmation hearings were completely unrelated to Yoon, causing an awkward situation for the two lawmakers.

Earlier, at the preparatory hearing, Choi's defense attorney argued, "This case has been political from the start and will remain political until the end," and claimed, "The judicial system was manipulated to insult Prosecutor General Yoon."

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