'Baekhyun-dong Investigation Cover-up Request' Lawyer Gwak Jeong-gi Acquitted in First Trial... Referral Fee Results in 'Fine'

by Son Seonhee

Published 22 Nov.2024 16:13(KST)

Gwak Jeong-gi, a former police superintendent turned lawyer (51), who was prosecuted on charges of accepting bribes in exchange for requesting the suppression of the investigation into the Baekhyeon-dong development corruption case, was acquitted in the first trial. However, he was found guilty of paying a referral fee to an active-duty police officer who introduced the case and was sentenced to a fine.

On the 22nd, the 21st Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Heo Gyeong-mu) recognized partial guilt against lawyer Gwak, who was indicted for violating the Attorney-at-Law Act and other charges, and sentenced him to a fine of 10 million KRW.

Seoul Central District Court. Yonhap News

Gwak was arrested and indicted in January on charges of receiving 700 million KRW in legal fees related to the police investigation of the Baekhyeon-dong case, as well as 50 million KRW under the pretext of official socializing and solicitation, from Jung Ba-ul, chairman of Asia Developer and a private party in the Baekhyeon-dong development project, between June and July 2022. He is also accused of giving 4 million KRW to Park, a current police sergeant (58), as a referral fee for introducing the case.

The court ruled not guilty on the main charge of accepting bribes, stating that "it is difficult to conclude that the charge was proven beyond a reasonable doubt." However, it acknowledged partial guilt, noting that "it has been confirmed that four 1 million KRW checks were handed over from Gwak Jeong-gi to Mr. Park," and that this "disrupts legal order and causes distortion in the legal service structure."

Sergeant Park, who was also indicted for receiving the referral fee, was sentenced to a fine of 10 million KRW and ordered to pay a confiscation amount of 6.35 million KRW. He is also accused of receiving hospitality worth several million KRW from a real estate brokerage operator and a construction company representative. The court criticized Park, stating, "He shows behavior no different from Lee, who acted as a legal broker involved in this case," and added, "Public officials did not instruct others to engage in such acts."

Meanwhile, lawyer Gwak previously served as head of the Police Agency’s Special Investigation Division and head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Intelligent Crime Investigation Unit before moving to a law firm in 2019. He was involved in investigating the Burning Sun club case during his police career.