'Entertainment Bribery Allegations' Former and Current Prosecutors Deny Charges... "Not Even 1 Million Won Per Person"

Witness Madam of Entertainment Bar Testifies "Drinking Sessions Last at Least 3 Hours... Does Not Remember Other Attendees"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] A prosecutor and a lawyer accused of receiving alcohol entertainment from former Star Mobility Chairman Kim Bong-hyun denied the charges at their first trial. They argued that the amount of entertainment did not meet the criminal punishment threshold.

On the 5th, Judge Park Ye-ji of the Seoul Southern District Court Criminal Division 7 held the first hearing for lawyer Lee, a former prosecutor, and prosecutor Na, who were indicted for violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act (Kim Young-ran Act).

At the trial, lawyer Lee and prosecutor Na's side claimed, "The amount of money provided per person was under 1 million won, so it is not subject to punishment."

They denied the charges on the grounds that under the Kim Young-ran Act, if the amount of money received or provided in one instance is less than 1 million won, only a fine is imposed and it is not subject to criminal punishment.

Previously, prosecutor Na and others were indicted on charges of receiving alcohol and entertainment worth more than 1 million won per person from former Chairman Kim on July 18, 2019, at a nightlife establishment in Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

The prosecution, when indicting them in December last year, calculated the entertainment cost per person by dividing the total alcohol bill of 5.36 million won minus 550,000 won for the band and hostesses (4.81 million won) by the number of participants (5), resulting in about 960,000 won per person. Then, by adding the divided tip costs for the band and hostesses, the entertainment cost per person for the three indicted individuals was estimated at 1.14 million won.

Two prosecutors who left the drinking party before the band and hostesses arrived were calculated to have received about 960,000 won each and were excluded from indictment.

During the trial, the testimony of A, who was the madam of the nightlife establishment, was also conducted.

During questioning, the prosecution presented three alcohol receipts issued in the name of former Chairman Kim on the date of the entertainment and pressed A about the situation at that time.

The receipts detailed the costs of alcoholic beverages and payments made to hostesses and the band.

A testified, "Looking at the receipts, it appears that former Chairman Kim's party used a room with a total alcohol bill of 5.36 million won. The drinking party seemed to have lasted at least three hours. I don't remember exactly when the band came in, but Kim usually calls the band after the drinking party has started and some time has passed."

However, A said, "I did not hear from the attendees or hostesses that an active prosecutor was in the room at that time," and "I do not remember the face of defendant prosecutor Na."

The defense presented KakaoTalk messages exchanged between former Chairman Kim and other acquaintances to question the possibility that other people stayed at the drinking party. However, A replied, "It was a long time ago, so just looking at the messenger content, I don't clearly remember if there were more attendees."

Lawyer Lee's defense attorney also argued that since Kim sometimes paid a month's worth of alcohol bills at once and discounts on some costs were applied during this process, it is difficult to assume that the entire 5.36 million won stated on the receipts was paid.

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