Prosecutor Investigating Ssangbangwool for Leaking Investigation Secrets Sentenced to 2 Years in Second Trial

A prosecution investigator who leaked investigation secrets, including information about a search and seizure, to Ssangbangwool Group was sentenced to imprisonment again in the appellate court.

On the 1st, the Criminal Appeals Division 7 of Suwon District Court (Chief Judge Kim Byung-su) dismissed the appeals filed by Mr. A and the prosecution in the appeal trial for charges including breach of official secrecy, maintaining the original judgment. The first trial sentenced Mr. A to two years in prison.

The court stated, "As an employee of the Prosecutor's Office, he neglected his duties and leaked important criminal justice information such as the crime facts of major investigation targets, search and seizure targets, and the timing of warrant execution, causing significant disruption to the prosecution's duties," adding, "Even considering his decades of faithful service, severe punishment is inevitable for crimes that deny the very existence of the prosecution."

Additionally, for Mr. B, a former prosecutor investigator and Ssangbangwool executive who was arrested and indicted on charges of receiving confidential information from Mr. A (including violations of the Personal Information Protection Act), the appellate court overturned the original sentence of one year and six months imprisonment and sentenced him to one year and eight months imprisonment.

The first trial court acquitted Mr. B of charges related to violations of the Act on Promotion of Electronic Processing of Criminal Justice Procedures. However, the appellate court judged him guilty, stating, "It is recognized that the defendant A actively participated in the crime and improperly used criminal justice information."

The prosecution's appeal against Mr. C, a lawyer who was acquitted in the first trial for charges of storing confidential materials exchanged between Mr. A and Mr. B in his office (including violations of the Personal Information Protection Act), was also dismissed on the same day.

Mr. A was prosecuted on charges of leaking confidential information such as search and seizure warrant details to Mr. B while working in the Criminal Division 6 of Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, which was investigating Ssangbangwool Group in May last year. After leaking the investigation information, former Ssangbangwool Group Chairman Kim Sung-tae fled overseas at the end of May of the same year to evade the prosecution's investigation and lived abroad for an extended period, while organized evidence destruction took place within the group.

This leak of investigation secrets was uncovered during the analysis of seized items after the Public Investigation Division of Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, which was investigating a public official election law violation (false information disclosure) complaint related to allegations of Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, having his legal fees paid by others, conducted a search and seizure of the office of lawyer Lee Tae-hyung, who represented Lee, in July last year. Lawyer Lee and Mr. C belong to the same law firm.

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