Court dismisses charges against ex-lawmaker in property development scandal

▲ Former lawmaker Kwak Sang-do leaves the Seoul Central District Court in the capital on Feb. 6, 2026, after the bench dismissed charges against him in connection with a high-profile property development scandal. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

court-ex-lawmaker

Court dismisses charges against ex-lawmaker in property development scandal

By Lee Haye-ah

SEOUL, Feb. 6 (Yonhap) -- A court on Friday dismissed charges against a former lawmaker of the main opposition People Power Party in connection with a high-profile property development scandal.

Kwak Sang-do was accused of taking 5 billion won (US$3.4 million) from property developer Kim Man-bae in exchange for business favors, in the form of payments to Kwak's son, who worked at Kim's company.

Prosecutors initially indicted Kwak on charges of taking bribes in the form of severance pay and incentives for his son, but a court acquitted him of the charges in 2023.

Prosecutors then indicted Kwak, his son and Kim on charges of exchanging a bribe disguised as a bonus and concealing it.

The Seoul Central District Court acquitted the son Friday of charges of bribery and concealment of criminal proceeds.

"Not only is it difficult to determine that former Rep. Kwak was promised 5 billion won from Mr. Kim in return for favors or mediation, but there is no evidence to prove Byeong-chae colluded in the act of bribery," the bench said, referring to Kwak's son.

The bench also chided the prosecution over its additional indictments of Kwak and Kim on charges of concealment of criminal proceeds, saying they sought to reverse the earlier ruling through a second trial, not through an appellate trial.

"The defendants suffered a substantive disadvantage by receiving two first-instance rulings on effectively the same case, which constitutes an abuse of the power of prosecution," it said.

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