![Choi Kang-wook, head of the Open Democratic Party, accused of violating the Public Official Election Act, is attending the first trial of the first trial held at the Central District Court in Seocho-dong, Seoul on the morning of the 5th. During the general election last year, Choi is suspected of promulgating false facts by remarking that the son of former Minister Cho Kuk actually worked as an intern. [연합뉴스]](https://i0.wp.com/pds.joins.com/news/component/htmlphoto_mmdata/202103/05/c4ac427b-3e82-4797-b2a3-eb8ad9dc8daf.jpg?w=560&ssl=1)
Choi Kang-wook, head of the Open Democratic Party, accused of violating the Public Official Election Act, is attending the first trial of the first trial held at the Central District Court in Seocho-dong, Seoul on the morning of the 5th. During the general election last year, Choi is suspected of promulgating false facts by remarking that the son of former Minister Cho Kuk actually worked as an intern. [연합뉴스]
Choi Kang-wook (53), the Uri Party representative, denied all charges in a trial on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act held on the 5th. Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, who expressed his appreciation on the 4th, was sarcastic as “a person with historical merit who proved the prosecution’s problem.”
Full denial of alleged violation of the Public Official Election Act
The Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 21-2 (Deputy Judges Sang-yeon Kim, Yong-beom Jang, and Mi-ri Kim) held the first trial of Choi’s violation of the Public Official Election Act.
Prosecution for remarks in podcasts
Choi was accused of disseminating false facts for the purpose of winning in a podcast broadcast in April of last year, ahead of the last 4-15 National Assembly elections. In the broadcast at the time, CEO Choi said, “I confirmed that the son of former Minister Cho was working in an internship such as document reorganization and English translation at a law firm in 2017 and sent a confirmation letter.”
The prosecution said, “CEO Choi’s remarks were played in real-time by more than 10,000 people, and an unspecified number of 100,000 people, including subscribers, listened.” He explained the point of the prosecution, saying, “A violation of the Public Official Election Act.”
Earlier, CEO Choi was also charged with obstruction in January of last year. Cho’s son, Mr. Jo Mo, signed a conspiracy with former Minister Cho’s spouse, Professor Chung Gyeong-shim of Dongyang University, and sent a confirmation letter as if he had never been an internship at Choi’s law firm in 2017. It is said that it interfered with the admissions work of universities by submitting it to the entrance exam. After hearing the allegations of obstruction, the court admitted Choi’s guilty last January and sentenced him to August in prison and two years of probation, and the case of obstruction is under appeal.
Choi Kang-wook’s side “Abusing the right to political prosecution when he did not like the reform of the prosecution”
Representative Choi expressed his opinion on the prosecution’s prosecution, saying, “I deny all the facts of the prosecution. First, CEO Choi argued that in the podcast, Choi’s remarks were not’facts’, but’opinions’. It is true that the prosecutor indicted Choi for obstruction of business, and that CEO Choi is arguing’innocent’ for the indictment, so he claimed innocence and mentioned the grounds. In addition, he added that the prosecutor indicted Choi, and that it was true that Choi claimed innocence, so it was a statement of objective facts, not disseminating false facts.
On the contrary, Choi argued that “the accused is abusing the right of political prosecution in order to penalize the accused because he does not like his usual position on the reform of the prosecution, and impose undue pressure on his legislative activities.”
The second trial on the 30th, a decision to be made
On that day, the prosecution tried to submit the first trial judgment on charges of obstruction of the work of Professor Chung to the court, but the court did not accept it. The judge said, “The issue in this case seems to be a matter of evaluating whether it is the publicity of the facts or the expression of opinions,” and said, “If we can finish the case by the next date, I will finish it.” The court decided to take the 30th of this month as the next due date and listen to the prosecution’s sentence and the defendant’s final opinion. At the end of the trial, CEO Choi asked for understanding from the court, saying, “As the appointment schedule for professions is not fulfilled as intended, I will make an explanation in advance and request a change of date if necessary.”
Choi Kang-wook, “Selective investigation, selective prosecution directly ordered Yun Suk-yeol”
As CEO Choi left the court on that day, he answered the reporters’ question, “How do you view Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol’s expression of his gratitude?” CEO Choi said, “The prosecution has indefinitely expanded the investigative power entrusted by the people, and today’s problems have arisen.” At the same time, he criticized with ironic expression, “The prosecutor general was the person who directly ordered the selective investigation and selective prosecution, and I am grateful that he proved the necessity of prosecution reform by himself. He has historical merit.”
Reporter Lee Sujeong [email protected]
