Former KIA Tigers Executives Acquitted of Corruption Charges by Supreme Court
Former KIA Tigers general manager Jang Jeong-seok and former manager Kim Jong-kook have been acquitted of corruption charges by South Koreas Supreme Court. The court confirmed their innocence on November 9, as reported by legal sources on the 15th. The Supreme Courts third division, led by Justice Lee Heung-goo, upheld the lower courts decision to acquit both men of charges related to bribery and breach of trust.
Alongside them, Kim Mo, the representative of a coffee company implicated in the case, was also found not guilty. The accusations against Jang included soliciting 200 million won (approximately $170,000) in three instances, promising to secure a contract worth at least 1.2 billion won for KIA player Park Dong-won (currently with the LG Twins) before he entered free agency between May and August 2020.
Kim faced charges for accepting 60 million won from Kim Mo during July 2022 at the baseball stadiums managers office, in exchange for preferential treatment regarding a player uniform advertising contract with the KIA Tigers’ sponsoring coffee company. Additionally, both Jang and Kim were accused of receiving a total of 100 million won, including 50 million won each, from Kim Mo in October of the same year for facilitating requests related to new advertising contracts, such as the establishment of a home run zone.
Both the first and second trials resulted in acquittals for Jang and Kim. The first trial judge stated, "The defendants have not done anything commendable; however, that does not directly correlate to the establishment of a criminal offense." The court noted that Jang initially approached Park to offer advice, while Park only engaged in a general and passive discussion about contract terms, ultimately rejecting Jangs proposal.
Furthermore, the court took into account Kim Mos long-standing support for KIA, including distributing coffee sets worth millions of won to fans and promising financial incentives during the teams postseason appearances. This context contributed to the courts decision to clear both executives of wrongdoing. The ruling closes a significant chapter in the ongoing scrutiny of corruption within South Koreas professional sports, particularly concerning the relationships between teams and their sponsors.
Alongside them, Kim Mo, the representative of a coffee company implicated in the case, was also found not guilty. The accusations against Jang included soliciting 200 million won (approximately $170,000) in three instances, promising to secure a contract worth at least 1.2 billion won for KIA player Park Dong-won (currently with the LG Twins) before he entered free agency between May and August 2020.
Kim faced charges for accepting 60 million won from Kim Mo during July 2022 at the baseball stadiums managers office, in exchange for preferential treatment regarding a player uniform advertising contract with the KIA Tigers’ sponsoring coffee company. Additionally, both Jang and Kim were accused of receiving a total of 100 million won, including 50 million won each, from Kim Mo in October of the same year for facilitating requests related to new advertising contracts, such as the establishment of a home run zone.
Both the first and second trials resulted in acquittals for Jang and Kim. The first trial judge stated, "The defendants have not done anything commendable; however, that does not directly correlate to the establishment of a criminal offense." The court noted that Jang initially approached Park to offer advice, while Park only engaged in a general and passive discussion about contract terms, ultimately rejecting Jangs proposal.
Furthermore, the court took into account Kim Mos long-standing support for KIA, including distributing coffee sets worth millions of won to fans and promising financial incentives during the teams postseason appearances. This context contributed to the courts decision to clear both executives of wrongdoing. The ruling closes a significant chapter in the ongoing scrutiny of corruption within South Koreas professional sports, particularly concerning the relationships between teams and their sponsors.
Like
0
Upvote0
- Prev2025 KBO League Postseason Matchups Finalized: LG Twins Top Regular Season
- NextKyeongbuk National University Hospital: Pioneering AI-Driven Healthcare Innovation
박성*
좋은 정보 담아갑니다.
김샛*
정말이지 이런뉴스는 올리지 말아주세요.
김한*
정말 대책없네요.
No comments yet.