Victims Defrauded by 'Fake Fisheries Businessmen' to Submit Petition to Court Requesting "Severe Punishment"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Victims of Kim Mo (43), who was arrested and indicted on charges of fraud amounting to 11.6 billion KRW by impersonating a fisheries operator, have decided to request the court to impose a severe punishment on him.

According to the legal community on the 13th, some victims of the 'Seondong Squid' (rapidly chilled squid caught at sea) fraud committed by Kim are planning to submit a petition urging severe punishment to the Criminal Division 22 of the Seoul Central District Court (Chief Judge Yang Cheol-han), which is currently handling Kim's case.

It is known that five people, including the older brother of former lawmaker Kim Moo-sung, who suffered fraud worth 8.65 billion KRW, and former journalist Song Mo, who suffered damages of 1.75 billion KRW, will participate in this petition. The other two victims have reached partial settlements with Kim.

The victims wrote in the petition, "We earnestly request that the court impose the maximum sentence allowed by law on Kim, who committed this shameless fraud, to demonstrate that the law is alive in the Republic of Korea."

They added, "Kim's fraudulent acts are heinous deeds that abandon humanity. He forged dozens of documents, including ship certificates, to appear genuine while receiving funds from victims under the pretense of purchasing non-existent ships and squid."

Furthermore, they emphasized, "The victims and their families are suffering indescribable pain and are on the verge of family breakdown. Nevertheless, Kim has made no effort to restore the damages to date."

They also stated, "After Kim was arrested by the police, he and his attorney have been trying to dispose of his assets, but the amount is estimated to be only between 700 million and 1 billion KRW, which is less than 10% of the total damages."

Kim was prosecuted on charges of fraud under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes for receiving approximately 11.62 billion KRW from seven people between June 2018 and last January under the pretense of investment funds for ship operation and Seondong squid trading business.

In previous trials, Kim admitted to the fraud charges and submitted letters of apology to the court several times. He is currently under investigation again after revealing that he provided money and gifts to influential figures in the legal and media sectors.

The police have booked seven people, including Kim, on charges of violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act, and are also investigating whether others who received money and gifts from Kim, including former special prosecutor Park Young-soo, violated the law.

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