Yoon Gap-geun Loses 500 Million Won Damages Suit Against Past Affairs Committee Over Allegations of Collusion with Yoon Joong-chun

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Former Daegu High Prosecutor General Yoon Gap-geun lost in the first trial after filing a lawsuit against the Ministry of Justice and prosecution officials who announced allegations of collusion between him and construction businessman Yoon Joong-chun.

On the 8th, the Civil Division 26 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Heo Myung-san) ruled against the plaintiff in the damages claim lawsuit filed by former Prosecutor General Yoon against the state, Professor Jeong Han-jung of the Graduate School of Law at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Yong-min, and Deputy Chief Prosecutor Lee Gyu-won.

The lawsuit by former Prosecutor General Yoon was in response to the May 2019 announcement by the Past Affairs Committee of the Prosecution, which reviewed the case of former Vice Minister Kim Hak-ui, stating that "there is testimony and circumstantial evidence confirming that former Prosecutor General Yoon met with Mr. Yoon to play golf or dine together."

This announcement contradicted the later statement by the investigative team related to the Ministry of Justice’s Prosecution Past Affairs Committee’s investigation recommendation, which declared that "there is no evidence supporting the suspicion of collusion between former Prosecutor General Yoon and Mr. Yoon."

At that time, Professor Jeong served as the acting chairman of the Prosecution Past Affairs Committee, lawmaker Kim was the lead member of the Kim Hak-ui case, and Prosecutor Lee was responsible for practical investigation work in the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office fact-finding team.

Accordingly, former Prosecutor General Yoon filed a lawsuit in June 2019 demanding a total of 500 million won, claiming that his reputation was damaged as false facts were distributed and briefed as if they were true in press releases.

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