Jury trial begins for ex-official Lee Hwa-young on perjury charges over 'salmon and drinking party'

A jury trial commenced on June 8 for Lee Hwa-young, former Vice Governor of Gyeonggi Province, facing charges of perjury during a parliamentary hearing. The Suwon District Court's Criminal Division 11 is presiding over the case, with jury selection concluding in the afternoon and opening statements scheduled to begin.

The trial will delve into allegations including violations of the Political Funds Act, abuse of power, and perjury under the National Assembly Testimony and Evidence Act. The court will also examine accusations of prosecutorial abuse of power.

Lee Hwa-young testified at a parliamentary hearing in October 2024 regarding a prosecution investigation, stating that he was offered "hoe-deopbap (rice with raw fish), salmon, and soju" during a drinking session, implying he was appeased by prosecutors. However, subsequent investigations by the Ministry of Justice found evidence suggesting the drinking session did occur, leading to a controversy.

Prosecutors subsequently indicted Lee on charges of perjury, alleging his testimony was false. The upcoming trial is expected to be a crucial juncture in determining the veracity of the "drinking party" controversy. During the jury selection process, both the prosecution and Lee's defense team reportedly filed challenges against potential jurors who had watched YouTube videos related to the case, emphasizing the need for impartiality.

Key witnesses expected to testify include Park Sang-yong, the prosecutor who led the investigation, and Kim Sung-tae, former chairman of the Ssangbangwool Group. A non-public on-site inspection of the suspected location of the drinking session, Room 1313 at the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, is also planned.