Gov. Hong Joon-pyo (Yonhap)
Lawyers for Hong Joon-pyo, governor of South Gyeongsang Province, denied charges that he received illicit political funds from the late business tycoon Sung Woan-jong during the first hearing held Friday in connection with a high-profile graft scandal.
The hearing took place at Seoul Central District Court, about three weeks after the prosecution indicted Hong and former premier Lee Wan-koo without detention for violating the Political Fund Act by accepting illicit political funds from Sung, the deceased chairman of Keangnam Enterprises.
Hong did not appear in court for the hearing.
But Yoon Seung-mo, the former vice president of Keangnam Enterprises, was present to admit to his charges that he had delivered the money on Sung’s behalf to Hong in 2011 at the National Assembly.
During the hearing, Hong’s legal representatives maintained that such a meeting did not take place.
The governor is charged with receiving 100 million won ($89,000) from Sung in June 2011, when the four-term lawmaker was running for chief of the Grand National Party, the precursor to the ruling Saenuri Party.
Sung sent shockwaves across the nation in April after he committed suicide, leaving a handwritten note in his pocket that listed the names of eight politicians close to President Park Geun-hye, and the bribe sums he allegedly handed over.
Among the eight political heavyweights, only Hong and Lee were indicted, with the remaining six cleared of the bribery charges due to the lack of evidence and expiration of the statute of limitations.
In the hearing, the prosecution asked the court to rapidly process the trial, citing the circumstantial evidence that Hong had attempted to bribe Yoon to sway the ruling in his favor. Hong’s lawyers denied the accusations.
His next hearing will be held Aug. 26.
By Ock Hyun-ju (laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)