Supreme Court Orders Return of 'State Affairs Manipulation' Tablet to Choi Seo-won

In a significant legal development, South Korea's Supreme Court has ruled that a tablet PC, central to the "state affairs manipulation" scandal involving former President Park Geun-hye, must be returned to its owner, Choi Seo-won (formerly Choi Soon-sil).

The tablet, submitted to prosecutors in 2016 by Choi's niece, Jang Si-ho, contained crucial evidence detailing Choi's interference in state affairs. This evidence played a pivotal role in the subsequent convictions of both former President Park and Choi herself, leading to severe prison sentences.

Choi had initiated a lawsuit in January 2022 seeking the return of the device, asserting her ownership rights. The legal basis for such claims stems from Article 133 of the Criminal Procedure Act, which allows owners to reclaim seized items after a criminal judgment is finalized, provided they were not subject to confiscation.

“

Choi Seo-won's criminal judgment has been finalized, and it did not include a sentence for the confiscation of the seized item.

Both lower courts had previously sided with Choi. The first instance court acknowledged Choi's claim, stating that the criminal judgment against her did not include the confiscation of the tablet and that she was recognized as the owner who directly purchased and used the device, granting her the right to demand its return.

This latest ruling by the Supreme Court reinforces a previous decision made in September 2022 concerning another tablet PC, also obtained by JTBC and submitted to prosecutors during the scandal's investigation. In that instance, the Supreme Court also affirmed Choi's ownership and ordered the state to return the device. The court's consistent stance highlights the legal complexities surrounding evidence ownership and return in high-profile cases.

“

According to the special prosecutor's team's announcement at the time, it was recognized that Choi Seo-won was the owner who directly purchased and used this tablet PC, thus having the right to claim its return.