Prosecution Service Seeks 2-Year Prison Term and 5 Million Won Fine for Lee Hwa-young Over Perjury in 'Salmon Drinking Party' Case

[Financial News] The Prosecution Service asked the court to sentence former Gyeonggi Province Vice Governor for Peace Lee Hwa-young to two years in prison and a fine of 5 million won on charges including perjury in the so-called "salmon drinking party" case.
According to the legal community on the 19th, prosecutors sought a two-year prison term at the 10th hearing of Lee's Korean Jury Trial, which was held before Criminal Division 11 of the Suwon District Court, presided over by Judge Song Byung-hoon. They also requested a fine of 5 million won for violations of the Political Funds Act, while seeking prison terms for violations of the Act on Testimony and Appraisal before the National Assembly, the Local Finance Act, obstruction of official duties by deceptive means, and abuse of authority.
In explaining the charges against Lee and focusing on proving his guilt, prosecutors said, "We took into account the fact that the defendant denies the charges and that the case is in a subsequent concurrent offense relationship with a previously finalized case involving violations of the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act and other charges."
They added, "The request for a two-year prison term reflects respect for the court's discretion in sentencing and the possibility that a suspended sentence could be handed down in some cases."
Lee is accused of perjury after appearing as a witness at a National Assembly hearing on Oct. 2, 2024, regarding the impeachment of a prosecutor, where he claimed there had been a drinking party in Prosecutors' Office Room 1313 at the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office to manipulate testimony.
He is also accused of having Kim Sung-tae, former chairman of Ssangbangwool, split and donate funds for Lee Jae-myung during the Gyeonggi Province gubernatorial election and the Democratic Party of Korea's presidential primary, as well as pushing ahead with a North Korea aid project despite opposition from working-level officials during his time as vice governor.
The trial, which has been conducted as a Korean Jury Trial for 10 days since the 8th, will conclude with Lee's final statement.
The court will then deliver its final verdict after deliberation by the jury. If deliberations take longer than expected, the ruling is likely to be announced around dawn on the 20th.
 
[email protected] Ahn Ga-eul Reporter