'Attempted Extreme Choice in Detention Center' Yudonggyu Absent from Daejangdong Trial

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] Yoo Dong-gyu, former head of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation, who was arrested and indicted on suspicion of preferential treatment in the Daejang-dong development, was absent from the trial on the 22nd. It was reported that Yoo attempted an extreme act by taking a large amount of sleeping pills at the detention center the day before, received medical treatment at a hospital, and then returned.

Yoo was absent from the continuation trial of himself and four others, including Kim Man-bae, the major shareholder of Hwacheon Daeyu Asset Management, held at 10 a.m. at the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 22 (Presiding Judge Lee Joon-cheol).

Yoo’s defense attorney explained to the court, "I visited him yesterday," and said, "(Yoo) took sleeping pills and attempted an extreme act, went to the hospital, and returned to the detention center in the afternoon." He added, "Even during the visit, communication was difficult because he was still under the influence of the medication. He has not recovered, so I understand he could not attend today."

A correctional officer present in court responded to the court’s question, "Do you know the reason for his absence?" by saying, "I understand he cannot attend due to poor health," and added, "I am not his direct supervisor, so I do not know the exact health condition."

Earlier, the defense attorney claimed the day before, "Yoo took 50 sleeping pills he had in his possession in the early morning," and "He was transported to the emergency room and returned in the afternoon without any special treatment." He also said that the main reason was that Yoo felt he had caused long-term harm to his family due to the recently issued additional arrest warrant on charges of instructing evidence destruction. Yoo was transferred to the hospital, and since no abnormal findings were found during the examination, he returned to the detention center.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Justice denied these claims as untrue. A Ministry of Justice official stated, "Considering the inmate’s external hospital treatment records and other circumstances, the claim that he attempted an extreme act by taking a large amount of sleeping pills is not true," but added, "Further details cannot be disclosed due to privacy concerns."

On the 19th, the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 22 (Presiding Judge Lee Joon-cheol) issued an additional arrest warrant for Yoo on charges of instructing evidence destruction. The court cited "concerns about evidence destruction" as the main reason.

Yoo was prosecuted on charges of causing damage to the corporation by designing the project in a way favorable to Hwacheon Daeyu after agreeing to receive a portion of the development profits from Kim Man-bae, the major shareholder of Hwacheon Daeyu Asset Management. The prosecution believes that Yoo intended to benefit Hwacheon Daeyu by failing to establish a plan to recover excess profits from private developers during the Daejang-dong project.

Yoo was arrested on October 3 last year on these charges and was approaching the expiration of his detention period the day before. The Criminal Procedure Act stipulates that a defendant can be detained in the first trial for up to six months from the date of indictment.

However, he was additionally indicted on the 4th for instructing an acquaintance, A, to discard his mobile phone he had previously entrusted just before the prosecution’s search of his residence on September 29 last year, and the detention period was extended by up to six months due to this charge.

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