Cleared after 12-year trial, ex-township chief denied reinstatement

A former township chief in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, has been cleared of all charges after a 12-year legal battle, but faces an ongoing struggle to return to his original position. Lee Hong-yong, who served as the head of Yeongbuk Township, was initially prosecuted in 2014 on charges including violating the National Security Act for possessing union and unification-related materials. The trial process was exceptionally long, spanning over a decade.

While the first trial found him guilty of charges related to obstructing traffic and falsifying electronic records, he was acquitted of the National Security Act violation. However, the appeals court later found him not guilty of all charges. The Supreme Court confirmed his acquittal in February, concluding the lengthy legal process. During the trial, Lee was promoted to a Grade 5 official and appointed as the Yeongbuk Township chief.

However, Pocheon City subsequently canceled his promotion, arguing that he should not have been promoted while facing disciplinary action. Despite the eventual acquittal, the city maintains that the promotion itself was an error based on the situation at the time of his indictment and cannot be reversed. This has led to Lee being demoted to Grade 6. The city even sought to reclaim 9.09 million won in allowances paid to him during his promotion.

Lee Hong-yong expressed his determination to rectify the situation, stating, "Many people ask if I should not be reinstated now that I have been acquitted by the Supreme Court." He added, "With the support of the public officials' union sacrifice relief fund and those around me, I want to see the promotion and allowance issues resolved."

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Many people ask if I should not be reinstated now that I have been acquitted by the Supreme Court. With the support of the public officials' union sacrifice relief fund and those around me, I want to see the promotion and allowance issues resolved.