Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Team Appeals Yoon Suk Yeol’s First-Trial Acquittal Over ‘Jongseop Lee’s Escape to Australia’

[Financial News] The Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Team, headed by Special Prosecutor Lee Myung-hyun, has appealed the first-trial ruling acquitting former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was indicted for helping former Defense Minister Jongseop Lee flee to Australia.
The team said on the 17th that it had filed a notice of appeal with the 22nd Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court, presided over by Judge Cho Hyung-woo, which heard the case involving former President Yoon and others who were charged with aiding an offender’s escape.
The Special Prosecutor argued that the problem lay not in the factual findings recognized by the first trial court, but in its legal conclusion that the charges of aiding an offender’s escape and other offenses had not been established. It said the court had failed to sufficiently examine the defendants’ intent to help an offender flee, their conspiratorial relationship, and their special relationships.
The team emphasized that the defendants included individuals who had instructed former Minister Jongseop Lee to retrieve records related to the death of Chae Sang-byeong, directly witnessed the circumstances surrounding the retrieval, and later received reports on the progress of the related investigation.
The Special Prosecutor argued, "It is difficult to view them as third parties unrelated to the case" and added, "If they are to be considered to have had no intention of helping Jongseop Lee flee, clear grounds commensurate with that conclusion must be presented."
It continued, "The first trial court overlooked the essence of the case by failing to sufficiently examine these special relationships and instead considering separately whether each individual act constituted ordinary performance of official duties."
The Special Prosecutor characterized the case as one in which key institutions of state power were systematically mobilized to obstruct the investigation into former President Yoon, thereby undermining the criminal justice system by appointing a key suspect as the head of an overseas diplomatic mission. It said, "The case is extremely serious and the nature of the offense is reprehensible," and pledged to do its utmost to maintain the prosecution in the appeals trial.
Earlier, on the 11th, the 22nd Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court acquitted former President Yoon, who had been indicted on charges of aiding an offender’s escape, abuse of authority, and violating the State Public Officials Act. The court also acquitted the other defendants: former National Security Office Director Cho Tae-yong, former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae, former Vice Justice Minister Shim Woo-jung, former First Vice Foreign Minister Jang Ho-jin, and former Secretary for Public Discipline Lee Si-won.
The first trial court acknowledged that Yoon had ordered Jongseop Lee’s appointment as ambassador to Australia in November 2023, among other facts. However, it ruled that it was difficult to conclude that the appointment constituted an act of helping an offender flee in order to obstruct an investigation by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO). The court cited, among other reasons, that it was difficult to view Jongseop Lee as having become unable or significantly less able to respond to summonses from investigative authorities even while serving as ambassador.
[email protected] Choi Eun-sol Reporter