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| ▲ This composite file photo shows (from L) former Reps. Youn Kwan-suk and Lim Jong-seong, and current Rep. Heo Jong-sik of the Democratic Party. (Yonhap) |
prosecution-acquittal case
Prosecution drops final appeal in DP cash-for-votes scandal case
SEOUL, Feb. 25 (Yonhap) -- The prosecution said Wednesday they have dropped a final appeal against an appellate court's recent acquittal of one incumbent and two former ruling Democratic Party (DP) lawmakers charged in connection with a cash-for-votes scandal surrounding the party's 2021 leadership election.
Last week, the Seoul High Court overturned guilty verdicts for Rep. Heo Jong-sik and former Reps. Youn Kwan-suk and Lim Jong-seong, who had been accused of distributing cash envelopes to support former DP leader Song Young-gil ahead of the party's national convention in May 2021.
The court said recordings of phone calls submitted by a former DP official, which had served as key evidence in the case, were illegally obtained, reversing a lower court's ruling that had handed down suspended prison terms for the three politicians.
The Supreme Prosecutors' Office said in a press notice that it withdrew the appeal in consideration of a similar Supreme Court precedent rejecting illegally obtained evidence.
In a separate ruling on the same election scandal earlier this month, an appeals court acquitted Song of charges of receiving illegal political funds, likewise citing illegally collected evidence.
The prosecution did not appeal that ruling, finalizing Song's acquittal.
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