Former Lawmaker Ha Young-je, Accused of Receiving Over 100 Million Won in Illegal Political Funds, Detained Again in Second Trial

Former lawmaker Ha Young-je, who was sentenced to imprisonment in the first trial for receiving illegal political funds, was again sentenced to prison and detained in court in the appellate trial.

The Criminal Division 1 of Changwon District Court in Gyeongnam (Chief Judge Lee Joo-yeon) on the 14th dismissed both the prosecution's and Ha's appeals in the appellate trial on charges of violating the Political Funds Act.

Gyeongnam Changwon District Court. Photo by Se-ryeong Lee

Ha was prosecuted on charges of receiving a total of 163.5 million KRW from former Sacheon Mayor Song Do-geun and others from March 2020 to June 2023 under the pretexts of National Assembly election expenses, local office operating costs, and recommending provincial council candidates.

He was sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in prison and fined 163.5 million KRW in the first trial on August 29 last year and was detained in court. He also received an order to confiscate 2 million KRW found during the search and seizure process.

After the first trial verdict, the prosecution appealed citing factual errors, legal misinterpretations, and inappropriate sentencing, while Ha appealed citing inappropriate sentencing.

The appearance of former lawmaker Ha Young-je heading to the courtroom of Changwon District Court in Gyeongnam for the detention hearing. Photo by Lee Se-ryeong

Ha was released on bail in November last year and received the appellate trial while not in custody, but was detained in court again following the dismissal of his appeal on this day.

In the prosecution’s closing arguments in the appellate trial in October last year, they requested a sentence of 4 years and 6 months in prison and a fine of 165.5 million KRW for Ha.

The court stated the reason for dismissing the appeal, saying, “The circumstances claimed as reasons for appeal by the prosecution and Ha appear to have already been reflected in the original sentencing. There are no new circumstances that warrant changing the sentence after the original trial.”

Former Mayor Song, who was indicted on charges of providing illegal political funds to Ha, did not attend the court on this day, so the sentencing was postponed.

The appellate sentencing for former Mayor Song is scheduled to take place around 2:30 p.m. on the 21st.

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