Kim Ki-pyo, a lawmaker of the Democratic Party of Korea who served as defense attorney for former Democratic Research Institute Deputy Director Kim Yong, expressed confidence in Kim's innocence and urged the Supreme Court to deliver a swift ruling. Kim Yong, known as one of President Lee Jae-myung's key strategists, is awaiting a Supreme Court verdict on charges of violating the Political Funds Act and bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes.
"I was Kim Yong's defense attorney in the first trial, and I say with certainty as a legal professional that he is innocent," lawmaker Kim wrote on Facebook on Tuesday.
Kim argued that the former deputy director was convicted based on what the prosecution built through "sam-in-seong-ho," a Korean idiom meaning "if three people say there is a tiger, it becomes true." He stressed, "The prosecution ultimately relied solely on fabricated testimony from Yoo Dong-gyu and others," adding, "Despite this, the trial did not reflect these points at all."
"The nature of the funds in question was actually for repayment of Yoo Dong-gyu's personal debts," Kim continued, raising his voice. "Google Timeline data and various communication records prove that the prosecution's claimed scenario of delivery near the home as a political fund transfer location does not match the facts at all."
Kim called for a prompt ruling from the Supreme Court. "His daily life has been on hold for four years, and he had to spend approximately 550 days in solitary confinement at a detention center," Kim said. "Yet there is still no word on the Supreme Court's decision."
He added, "The Supreme Court should correct as soon as possible this verdict based on the prosecution's one-sided claims built on sam-in-seong-ho," and said, "Regardless of the Supreme Court's ruling, I hope that senior colleague Kim Yong will enter the National Assembly as soon as possible, restore the daily life that has been suspended for four years, and fully demonstrate his abilities for the success of the Lee Jae-myung government."