Former Vice Governor Ihwa-young's Sentence Reduced to 7 Years and 8 Months in 2nd Trial for 'Funds Transfer to North Korea' Case

Sentence 1: 1심 징역 9년6월에서 1년10월 감형

Translation: Sentence 1: Reduced sentence from 9 years 6 months to 1 year 10 months in the first trial


Sentence 2: 2심도 "이재명 대표 방북비용 대납" 인정
Translation: Sentence 2: The second trial also acknowledges "Lee Jae-myung's representative's North Korea visit expenses paid on behalf"

Former Gyeonggi Province Deputy Governor Lee Hwa-young, who was arrested and indicted on charges including receiving bribes worth hundreds of millions of won from Ssangbangwool Group and conspiring to remit $8 million to North Korea, was sentenced to a heavy prison term again in the appellate court.

The Criminal Division 1 of Suwon High Court (Presiding Judges Moon Ju-hyung, Kim Min-sang, Kang Young-jae) on the afternoon of the 19th sentenced Lee to 7 years and 8 months in prison, reducing the sentence by 1 year and 10 months from the first trial, in the appellate hearing for charges including violation of the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act, violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (bribery), violation of the Political Funds Act, and obstruction of justice. The fines and confiscation amounts remained the same as in the first trial.

Former Vice Governor of Peace, Gyeonggi Province, Lee Hwa-young. Photo by Yonhap News

As in the first trial, the court recognized that the money sent by Ssangbangwool Group to North Korea was for Gyeonggi Province’s smart farm project expenses and the visit expenses to North Korea of Lee Jae-myung, then governor of Gyeonggi Province and current leader of the Democratic Party of Korea.

The court stated, "Lee Hwa-young’s crimes are serious offenses that betray the fairness of public officials’ duties and social trust, and undermine the non-purchasability of official duties," adding, "Strict punishment commensurate with this is inevitable."

However, the court noted, "Regarding bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes and violations of the Political Funds Act, Lee did not engage in corrupt acts as a politician," and "There is no evidence that Lee forced former Ssangbangwool Group Chairman Kim Sung-tae to make payments on his behalf."

Regarding sentencing, the court said, "Lee did not specifically order the destruction of evidence, and the crimes were mainly led by former Ssangbangwool Group Chairman Kim Sung-tae and Vice Chairman Bang Yong-chul," and "Considering that Lee has no other criminal record besides the fine and other sentencing factors comprehensively, the sentence was determined."

Lee was arrested and indicted in October 2022 on charges of receiving bribes worth hundreds of millions of won and illegal political funds from Ssangbangwool Group between July 2018 and July 2022 by receiving corporate cards and vehicles and paying false salaries to his aides.

During the trial, in March last year, he was additionally indicted on charges of asking former Ssangbangwool Chairman Kim Sung-tae to make payments on his behalf totaling $8 million, including $5 million for the smart farm project expenses that Gyeonggi Province promised to pay North Korea and $3 million for Lee Jae-myung’s visit expenses to North Korea.

In April last year, a month later, he was further indicted on charges of requesting Vice Chairman Bang Yong-chul of Ssangbangwool to delete data related to his use of corporate cards ahead of the prosecution’s investigation.

Earlier, on June 1, the first trial court found Lee guilty of major charges and sentenced him to 9 years and 6 months in prison (1 year and 6 months for violation of the Political Funds Act and 8 years for bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes), a fine of 250 million won, and confiscation of 325.95 million won.

In the sentencing hearing held at the end of October, the prosecution requested the court to sentence Lee to 15 years in prison and a fine of 1 billion won, the same as the demand in the first trial.

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