Ex-Ministers Acquitted in Job Recommendation Influence Peddling Case

A Seoul court has acquitted former Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Kim Hyun-mi and former Presidential Chief of Staff Noh Young-min of charges related to allegedly pressuring a company to hire a former party official. The two, along with two other former officials, were accused of obstructing business by using their positions to influence the hiring of Lee Jung-geun, a former deputy secretary-general of the Democratic Party, for an executive position at a CJ Logistics subsidiary.

The prosecution had alleged that the officials exerted undue influence to secure a high-paying position for Lee, who lacked relevant experience in the logistics industry. They argued that the intervention by powerful figures within the ruling party at the time constituted obstruction of business. The charges stemmed from an investigation initiated in January of the previous year.

However, the court found that the evidence presented by the prosecution was insufficient to prove that the defendants had used their authority or power to exert pressure or force the hiring of Lee. The court noted that the company, Korea Complex Logistics, had a customary practice of hiring senior advisors based on recommendations from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Crucially, the company did not formally reject Lee's candidacy. Furthermore, the court pointed to the fact that Korea Complex Logistics was able to enforce its policy regarding concurrent positions during the hiring process, suggesting that Noh and Kim did not override the company's independent hiring decisions.

Following the verdict, Kim Hyun-mi expressed her relief, stating that the "political revenge" investigations and trials that cause suffering to innocent public officials undermine the nation's governance. She appealed for an end to such practices.

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It is an act that shakes the state of Korea for innocent public officials to suffer through investigations and trials. I appeal that such political revenge investigations are not repeated.