Yoon Mi-hyang: "I Have Lived Without Shame"... Prosecution Claims "Justice Foundation Funds Used for Family Car Repairs"

At the First Trial... Yoon Appeals to Emotions

Independent lawmaker Yoon Mi-hyang, who has been indicted on charges including embezzlement of funds from the Justice Memory Solidarity, is arriving at the Seoul Western District Court for her first trial on the afternoon of the 11th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] "I have lived without shame as an activist for the past 30 years."

Independent lawmaker Yoon Mi-hyang attended her first trial on the 11th at the Seoul Western District Court Criminal Division 11 (Presiding Judge Moon Byung-chan) and said this while sobbing. Yoon appeared in court for the first time in 1 year and 3 months since the grandmother Lee Yong-soo’s allegations of accounting fraud were exposed in May last year. Previously, in September last year, she was indicted without detention on eight charges including violation of the Subsidy Management Act and the Act on the Collection and Use of Donations, embezzlement and breach of trust in the course of duty, and quasi-fraud.

In court, Yoon said, "(The prosecution) claims that the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan (Jeongdaehyeop, the predecessor of Justice and Peace) is Yoon Mi-hyang’s private organization, but this is an insult to the sweat and efforts of countless people." She added, "The harsh investigation over the past year has hurt me, my family, and the seniors of Jeongdaehyeop, and it pains my heart." Her statements mainly appealed emotionally to the court. However, her explanation regarding the prosecution’s main accusation of private misuse seemed insufficient.

The prosecution judged that the War and Women’s Human Rights Museum operated by Jeongdaehyeop falsely registered as having a curator, which is a legal requirement for museum registration, even though it did not have one, and thus fraudulently received government subsidies from 2013 to 2020. In particular, they determined that from March 2012 to May 2020, Yoon personally used 57.55 million KRW from overseas campaign expenses of Jeongdaehyeop, condolence money for deceased grandmothers, and the Butterfly Fund. She is also accused of arbitrarily transferring 21.82 million KRW from the account of an employee named Son, who managed the Mapo shelter operation funds and condolence money from October 2018 to March 2020, to her personal account and using it.

A prosecution official explained, "(Yoon) created a check card linked to the fundraising account and used it for daily life expenses, and submitted personal expense receipts as proof of business-related expenditures to reimburse them." The prosecution estimates that the Justice and Peace-related funds Yoon used privately amount to about 100 million KRW, including vehicle repair costs under family names and personal taxes. Additionally, condolence money sent to personal accounts during the grandmothers’ funerals was also transferred to the accounts of Yoon’s children.

In response, Yoon’s defense lawyer said, "They are even considering money used for Jeongdaehyeop activities as embezzlement," and added, "It is too much to call the purchase costs of gifts for the grandmothers, support for international campaign roaming fees, and the construction of the Uijeongbu Peace Monument embezzlement." They also claimed there was no intention to illegally gain profits. Yoon’s side further stated, "The defendant (Yoon) donated a lot to non-profit private organizations such as ‘Kim Bok-dong’s Hope,’ totaling about 71 million KRW over 10 years," and asked, "Is it illegal gain intention to embezzle 100 million KRW over 10 years and donate 70 million KRW?" The next trial is scheduled for September 17. The court decided to summon two witnesses jointly requested by the prosecution and defense to conduct cross-examinations from both sides.

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