Prosecution Seeks 1-Year Prison Sentence for Yoon Seok-yeol's Mother-in-Law on 'Bank Balance Certificate Forgery' Charges... Sentencing Hearing on 23rd (Comprehensive)

Choi, the mother-in-law of Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party./Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin, Legal Affairs Specialist] The prosecution has requested a one-year prison sentence for Choi Mo (75), the mother-in-law of Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, who is on trial for forging a bank balance certificate during a land purchase process.

On the 2nd, at the sentencing hearing for Choi held under the presiding of Judge Park Se-hwang of the Criminal Division 8 at Uijeongbu District Court, the prosecution asked the court to sentence Choi to one year in prison on charges including forgery of private documents and use of forged private documents. Kim Mo (44), who was also indicted for forging the bank balance certificate, was sentenced to six months in prison.

Choi was indicted on charges of conspiring with Ahn Mo (59) to forge a bank balance certificate that falsely showed 34.7 billion won deposited in the bank during the land purchase process in Dochon-dong from April to October 2013, and then using the forged document.

At the final defense, Choi said, "I am very sorry for causing social controversy," but added, "(My former business partner) deliberately requested and used the forged balance certificate."

Choi's lawyer also stated, "The forgery of the balance certificate was due to the persistent request of (the former business partner)," and asked for leniency, saying, "Since no actual damage occurred."

In particular, Choi's lawyer appealed to the court to acquit Choi of the charge of using forged private documents, arguing that Choi did not directly use the forged bank balance certificate.

The sentencing hearing for Choi will be held on the 23rd.

Previously, Choi was sentenced to three years in prison and detained in the first trial for illegally opening a nursing hospital and fraudulently receiving nursing benefits, but was released on bail last September and is currently undergoing an appeal trial while out on bail.

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