Attorney Lee Kwang-beom Joins Defense of Cho Kuk, Turning 'Jeongbabi Trial' into a David vs. Goliath Battle

Allegations of Violence Against Women and Illegal Filming
One of Six Defense Attorneys Participates
Prosecution Maintains Case with a Single Prosecutor

Attorney Kwangbeom Lee

[Asia Economy reporters Seongpil Jo and Gyumin Oh] Lawyer Lee Kwang-beom (63, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 13). His name appeared on the defense team of Jung Babi (real name Jung Dae-wook), a member of the indie band "Gaeulbanghak," who is on trial for assaulting his girlfriend and illegally filming sexual intercourse videos. Both the prosecutor who indicted Jung Babi and the judge presiding over the trial immediately recognized his name.

Lawyer Lee is a former judge. He has held several key positions at the Court Administration Office under the Supreme Court. His older brother is former Supreme Court Justice Lee Sang-hoon. When his brother became a Supreme Court Justice in 2011, Lee Kwang-beom left the bench and established a law firm. It is now LKB Partners, a leading law firm located in Seocho-dong, Seoul. LKB has taken on all major cases, including the former Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung’s Public Official Election Act violation case, former Environment Minister Kim Eun-kyung’s blacklist case, former Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyung-soo’s Druking case, and former Dongyang University professor Jung Kyung-shim’s forged private documents and illegal private equity investment case.

Lawyer Lee is the lead attorney at LKB. The cases he handles are also significant in scale. Currently, he is the "shield" for former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk and Seoul High Prosecutor General Lee Sung-yoon’s cases. Previously, he was also the defense attorney for former Minister Kim Eun-kyung, former Governor Kim Kyung-soo, and former Professor Jung Kyung-shim. Now, he has joined the defense team of Jung Babi.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Lawyer Lee does not directly argue in the Jung Babi case. He did not appear in court even at the second trial held on the 23rd at the Seoul Western District Court before Judge Gong Seong-bong of Criminal Division 6. Instead, former chief judge Lawyer Kim Kwan-gu led the defense team, accompanied by Lawyers Woo Jung-young and Bang Seong-hoon. All are attorneys from LKB. It is known that Lawyer Lee directs the defense team by devising defense strategies and reviewing briefs, even if he does not appear in court personally.

Jung Babi has appointed two additional lawyers besides the LKB team led by Lawyer Lee: former judge Lawyer Lee Yong-woon from the law firm Min and another attorney, preparing for the trial. On the other hand, the prosecution is maintaining the indictment alone through Prosecutor Kim Young-min of the Seoul Western District Prosecutors’ Office (Judicial Research and Training Institute class 41). The legal community is calling it a "David versus Goliath battle."

At the previous trial, Jung Babi’s defense team denied all serious charges, admitting only to assault. They announced their intention to contest the illegal filming charges (filming and distribution using a camera under the Sexual Violence Punishment Act). Under the Criminal Act, assault is punishable by imprisonment of up to two years or a fine of up to 5 million won. In contrast, filming using a camera under the Sexual Violence Punishment Act carries a heavier penalty of imprisonment up to seven years or a fine of up to 50 million won. Previously, Jung Babi’s ex-girlfriend and victim, who had appealed to those around her about the sexual assault, tragically took her own life in 2020.

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