9 officials acquitted on Sewol tragedy obstruction charges

Lee Byung-kee, former chief of staff of the Park Geun-hye administration, talks to the press after his trial at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

Nine officials that worked under President Park Geun-hye were acquitted on charges of obstructing the investigation into the tragic sinking of the Sewol ferry that killed more than 300 people in 2014, many of them students on a school trip.

The officials, which included Lee Byung-kee, chief of staff of President Park, were accused of obstructing a special committee that was formed in 2015 to investigate the Sewol ferry tragedy, including the 7 hours President Park was reportedly missing.

All nine former officials were indicted without detention in May 2020 on charges of obstructing the appointment of a key official on the committee, the dispatch of 17 public officials and ending the investigation period of the committee prematurely.

The Seoul Central District Court said while it acknowledge some of the acts were committed, it noted that the investigation did not go into detail to prove who or how those acts violated the law.

The court acquitted them on the charges for lack of evidence in proving any malfeasance.

In addition, the other eight are former Blue House Senior Secretary for Political Affairs Hyun Ki-hwan, former Senior Presidential Secretary for Policy Coordination Hyun Jung-taek, former Senior Secretary to the President Policy Coordination Ahn Jong-beom, former Senior Secretary for Personal Affairs Jeong Jin-cheol, former Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Kim Young-suk, former Vice Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Yoon Hak-bae, former Minister of Personnel Management Lee Geun-myeon and former vice chairman of the committee Cho Dae-hwan.

Prosecutors had sought three years of prison for Lee Byung-kee, two years and six months for Hyun Ki-hwan, Hyung Jung-taek and Ahn, two years for Kim and Yoon and one year and six months for Lee Geun-myeon.

“I express my deepest condolences to the victims and their families again,” Lee Byung-kee told the press after his trial on Wednesday.

“A second trial remains so I will share my words after that.”

Former vice chairman of the committee Cho was also accused of hindering the establishment of the committee, but the court said again there is insufficient evidence.

The Sewol ferry capsized off the coast of Jindo, South Jeolla in April 2014 while en route to Jeju Island, killing 304 passengers and crew.

Of those who died on the ferry, 250 were juniors from Danwon High School in Ansan, Gyeonggi.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]