Trial of Former Vice Minister Lee Yong-gu for 'Taxi Driver Assault' Begins This Week

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The first procedural hearing to prepare for the trial of former Deputy Minister of Justice Lee Yong-gu, who was indicted on charges of assaulting a taxi driver while intoxicated, will be held on the 16th.

According to the legal community on the 12th, the Criminal Division 32 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Yoon Jong-seop) will hold the first preparatory hearing at 10 a.m. on the 16th for former Deputy Minister Lee, who was indicted on charges of assaulting a driver under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes.

Former Deputy Minister Lee is not expected to appear in court. Unlike formal trials, defendants are not required to attend preparatory hearings. The prosecution and Lee’s side are expected to confirm their positions on the charges and review evidence materials.

Former Deputy Minister Lee was indicted for grabbing and pushing the collar of taxi driver Mr. A, who tried to wake him up while he was intoxicated in front of his apartment in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on November 6 last year, when he was working as a lawyer. Immediately after the incident, Lee was also investigated for requesting the deletion of the black box footage while reaching a settlement with Mr. A.

Since Mr. A expressed that he did not wish to press charges, the police investigating the case applied the offense of assault, which is a crime that cannot be prosecuted without the victim’s complaint, and closed the case as an internal investigation.

However, after Lee was appointed Deputy Minister of Justice, the taxi driver assault case became public. Despite it being an incident of assaulting a driver while operating a vehicle, criticism arose that the police did not apply the charge of assaulting a driver under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes. Consequently, the prosecution reopened the investigation. The prosecution reviewed the recovered black box footage and sent former Deputy Minister Lee and police officer Mr. A from Seocho Police Station to trial without detention.

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