Former director of the Environmental Industry and Technology Institute for bribery worth 40 million won, second-degree prison sentence and court custody

“The crime was committed by trying to thoroughly conceal the crime”… Donor sentenced to prison

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Lee Young-seop = Choi Heung-jin, former director of the Korea Environmental Industry and Technology Institute, who was indicted on charges of receiving a bribe worth 40 million won from a waste plastic recycling company, was sentenced to prison in the second trial.

On the 30th, Seoul High Court Criminal Division 15-3 (Judge Seong Eon-ju, Won Ik-seon, Lee Hee-jun) sentenced former Director Choi, who was handed over to trial on charges of bribery under the Aggravated Specific Crimes Act, to 2 years and 6 months in prison and a fine of 50 million won, as in the first trial. A collection of 45 million won was also ordered.

Former Director Choi, who had been released on bail and was being tried without detention, was re-arrested in court today on the grounds that there was a risk of flight.

In the second trial, former director Choi was found guilty, as in the first trial, of registering his niece-in-law as a false employee at a subsidiary of a waste plastic recycling company and then accepting 45 million won in wages from her niece-in-law.

The court criticized, "The defendant accepted a bribe worth about 40 million won even though he had worked as a public official in the environmental field for over 30 years and became the head of an organization in charge of fostering the environmental industry. He attempted to thoroughly conceal the crime, including using a cell phone under a borrowed name. Considering the amount of the bribe, the motive for the crime, and the method, the nature of the crime is poor."

Former Director Choi's nephew, who was also indicted on charges of aiding and abetting bribery under the Aggravated Specific Crimes Act, was sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in prison and 2 years of probation, and the representative of a waste plastic recycling company accused of giving bribes was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 2 years of probation.

All sentences are the same as in the first trial.