'Taxi Driver Assault' Lee Yong-gu Denies Charges at First Trial Appearance, Claims "Intoxicated and Mentally Impaired"

Former Deputy Minister of Justice Lee Yong-gu, who was indicted on charges of assaulting a taxi driver, is attending the first trial held at the Seoul Central District Court on the 15th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] Former Deputy Minister of Justice Lee Yong-gu, who was indicted for assaulting a taxi driver while intoxicated, appeared at his first trial and denied the charges.

At 10 a.m. on the 15th, the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 32-2 (Presiding Judges Cho Seung-woo, Bang Yun-seop, Kim Hyun-soon) held the first trial of former Deputy Minister Lee, who was charged with assaulting a driver under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes. In accordance with the defendant's obligation to appear in person at a formal trial, Lee appeared in court.

Lee's defense acknowledged the assault itself but denied the charges on the grounds that he was severely intoxicated, impairing his ability to distinguish objects and make decisions, and that there was no intent to assault. The lawyer stated, "The defendant was so intoxicated that he was unaware of where he was, who the other party was, or why he acted as he did."

The court scheduled the next hearing for the 22nd and decided to proceed with evidence examination. Subsequently, witness testimonies from taxi driver A and others are expected to be conducted.

Lee was indicted for grabbing and pushing A by the collar in front of his apartment in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on November 6, 2020, when A tried to wake him up while he was intoxicated. Lee was also charged with instructing evidence destruction by offering A a settlement of 10 million won and requesting the deletion of the black box footage.

This case involved assaulting a driver during operation, but controversy arose because the police did not apply the charge of assaulting a driver under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes. Since A expressed that he did not want prosecution and the police applied the assault charge under the Criminal Act, which is a crime that cannot be prosecuted without the victim's complaint, the case was closed as an internal investigation.

After Lee's appointment as Deputy Minister at the end of 2020, a reinvestigation began following a complaint filed by civic groups. Although the police reviewed part of the black box footage at that time, suspicions arose that they attempted to cover up the case. After confirming the recovered black box footage during the reinvestigation, the prosecution sent Lee and police officer B from Seocho Police Station to trial without detention. Officer B was charged with special dereliction of duty and falsification and use of false official documents.

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