Noh Young-min and Kim Hyun-mi, 'Employment Solicitation' Trial Begins... Claim of 'Political Retaliation Indictment'

[Financial News] Noh Young-min, former Chief of Staff to the President, and Kim Hyun-mi, former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, who were put on trial for allegedly exercising influence to solicit employment for Lee Jeong-geun, former Deputy Secretary-General of the Democratic Party, at the private company Korea Integrated Logistics, denied the charges and claimed the prosecution's indictment was 'political retaliation.'
Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 19 Judge Lim Hye-won held the first trial date for Noh, former Chief of Staff, Kim, former Minister, former Presidential Secretary for Personnel Kwon Mo, and former Director of Operations Support at the Ministry of Land, Jeon Mo, who were indicted on charges of obstruction of business.
In the statement of all charges, the prosecution said, "The defendants conspired to use the influence of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Presidential Secretariat to employ Lee, former Deputy Secretary-General, as a full-time advisor at Korea Integrated Logistics, thereby obstructing the personnel work of the victim company regarding employment and employment conditions."
The court requested the prosecution to "specify the charges" and asked for an amendment to the indictment. The court pointed out, "There is no content on how (Noh, former Chief of Staff) enforced it," and questioned, "Is saying to Lee, former Deputy Secretary-General, that dual employment is possible the method of enforcement?"
The prosecution responded, "If there is a need to specify the method of enforcement mentioned by the judge, we will consider partially amending the indictment."
Noh, former Chief of Staff, claimed the prosecution's indictment was unfair in his statement as a defendant that day. He argued, "This indictment is a political retaliation by the Yoon Seok-yeol administration against the previous administration," and questioned, "Why would the Moon Jae-in government, which did not exercise personnel rights over the five major financial holding companies for five years, intervene in private company personnel matters?"
He further emphasized, "Korea Integrated Logistics is classified as an association where the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport recommends full-time advisors, and the work proceeded according to a request for recommendation of political personnel," adding, "It was packaged as if there was an illegal solicitation by combining other contents."
He also explained that the text message sent to Lee, former Deputy Secretary-General, stating 'It is possible to hold both the position of Democratic Party regional chairman and full-time advisor at Korea Integrated Logistics' was a 'fact-check' guide as someone with experience as a National Assembly floor leader.
Kim, former Minister's side, argued, "(Kim, former Minister) was informed that the term of the full-time advisor was coming to an end, and upon receiving a report that Kim Mo, a political figure, could go there, she said to do so, and that was all," adding, "If the defendant received the report, there are countless positions under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Land that are not problematic. There is no reason to push for the employment of Kim as a full-time advisor against opposition."
Kwon and Jeon also denied all charges.
The court decided to conduct a witness examination on September 29 to verify whether the recordings submitted by Lee, former Deputy Secretary-General, and businessman Park Mo were illegally collected.
Noh, former Chief of Staff, is accused of using the Ministry of Land's management and supervision authority to employ Lee, former Deputy Secretary-General, and other political figures as full-time advisors at Korea Integrated Logistics, thereby obstructing the company's personnel work. Kim, former Minister, is accused of conspiring with Jeon to influence the employment of another political figure, Kim Mo, as a full-time advisor at Korea Integrated Logistics in July 2018.
Korea Integrated Logistics has appointed full-time advisors recommended by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, as it conducts business by constructing cargo terminal facilities on land owned by the Ministry.
According to the prosecution, Lee, former Deputy Secretary-General, received approximately 135.6 million won in salary and a business vehicle worth about 14 million won from August 2020 to July the following year after losing in the April 2020 National Assembly election. The prosecution, during the investigation of Lee's 1 billion won bribery charges in September 2022, discovered evidence of Noh, former Chief of Staff's involvement in Lee's employment and brought them to trial last January.  


scottchoi15@fnnews.com Choi Eun-sol Reporter