Special Prosecutor in Chae Sang-byeong Case Seeks 5-Year Sentence for Yoon Over 'Lee Jong-seop's Escape to Australia'... 'Interference with Investigative Authority'

[Financial News] The Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Team, led by Special Prosecutor Lee Myung-hyun, sought a prison sentence for former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is accused of helping former Defense Minister Jongseop Lee flee by appointing him ambassador to Australia.
The 22nd Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court, presided over by Judge Cho Hyung-woo, held a closing hearing on the 24th for Yoon, former National Security Director Cho Tae-yong, former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae, and others on charges including aiding a criminal's escape and abuse of authority to obstruct the exercise of rights.
The special prosecutor team asked the court to sentence Yoon to five years in prison. It said, "Using state power to the fullest for private purposes and political purposes ahead of the general election, they did not merely obstruct criminal justice functions but neutralized them, thereby completely infringing on the state's investigative authority."
It added, "Even by common sense, it is obvious that if Lee Jong-seop is appointed ambassador and allowed to flee, the CIO cannot conduct a timely investigation and disruption will follow."
The team also pointed out that the crimes were carried out covertly based on Yoon's anger and reprimands, without any explicit meeting or conspiracy among the defendants. It stressed, "The fact that this was carried out not through an explicit order but through silence is not minor, and the offense is grave because they used the hierarchy and mutual trust of senior officials to neutralize criminal justice procedures."
For Cho Tae-yong and Park Sung-jae, who were also indicted, the team sought three-year prison terms. It also requested two-year prison terms for Lee Si-won, former Secretary to the President for Public Office Discipline, former First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Jang Ho-jin, and former Justice Ministry Vice Minister Shim Woo-jung.
The special prosecutor team criticized the defendants, saying, "They turned a blind eye to the truth and remained silent, and they went through only formal reviews and mechanically followed the procedures to lift the travel ban in order to send Lee Jong-seop to Australia." It added, "This was not the result of individual chance, but a systematic act of concealing the truth."
Yoon is accused of ordering Lee, a key suspect in the alleged external pressure on the investigation into Corporal Chae's death, to be appointed ambassador to Australia in November 2023, four months after Chae's death, in an effort to help him flee. The special prosecutor team concluded that once the investigation into the alleged pressure on the Chae Sang-byeong case gained momentum after allegations such as the so-called 'VIP rage theory' emerged, Yoon pushed ahead with Lee's appointment as ambassador to Australia in an attempt to block the investigation into himself.
Cho Tae-yong and others are accused of systematically involving themselves in Lee's ambassadorial appointment and departure from the country at Yoon's direction.
The special prosecutor team believes Cho Tae-yong instructed the Foreign Ministry to proceed with the ambassadorial appointment, while Vice Minister Jang Ho-jin and Secretary Lee Si-won were involved in coordinating the schedule and vetting process.
Park Sung-jae and Shim Woo-jung are accused of taking part in the process of lifting Lee's travel ban after his appointment as ambassador.
[email protected] Jung Kyung-soo Reporter