"I didn't need a favor." Former general manager Jang Jung-seok and former coach Kim Jong-guk are not guilty. Park Dong-won's demand for back money is also not guilty
Oct 04, 2024
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On the 4th, the Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Agreement Department 21 (Chief Judge Heo Kyung-moo) acquitted former general manager Jang Jung-seok and former coach Kim Jong-kook, who were indicted on charges of malpractice. Kim, who was indicted on charges of breach of trust by providing them with money and valuables, was also acquitted.
The two were accused of accepting hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes from their sponsors. According to the prosecution, KIA's former general manager and former coach were asked by Kim to convenience the advertising contract from July to October 2022, and are suspected of receiving 160 million won in return. The prosecution believes that the two received 100 million won in October along with a request for the establishment of a fence home run zone in the stadium, and that former coach Kim received 60 million won in exchange for convenience in advertising the player's uniform.
Former general manager Jang Jung-seok and former manager Kim Jong-guk admitted to receiving bribes in the prosecution's investigation, but denied the quid pro quo, saying, `I just received money from Kim, who is a big fan of the KIA Tigers, in the name of encouragement to give it to the players.'
However, the prosecution saw that there was a price to pay for the investigation. Former general manager Jang instructed the team's marketing manager to reflect the related requirements, and former manager Kim also delivered the related matters to the former general manager Jang, who was the head of the team at the time, and also delivered the contact information of the employee of Kim's company directly to the team's advertising staff. The prosecution confirmed that Jang and Kim shared the 100 million won they received together, and spent most of it on stock investments, travel expenses, and personal money transactions without informing the team that they received money and valuables. The prosecution filed an arrest warrant for the two in January, but the court rejected it, saying there was no fear of destroying evidence or fleeing, and the prosecution handed them over to trial without physical detention after conducting a reinforcing investigation after further investigation.
In a final hearing on the 3rd of last month, the prosecution asked the court to sentence former general manager Jang Jung-seok and former manager Kim Jong-guk to four years in prison and two years in prison for chairman Kim.
However, the court acquitted the pair. The court said "At that time, KIA did not have to ask for a request because the season was going on with the shoulder advertisement empty." If I asked for a favor, I should benefit from the advertising fee, but I paid more advertising fees", he said, explaining the reason for the acquittal.
He was also acquitted of former general manager Jang's 'request for back money'. When Jang was in office as the general manager of the KIA Tigers, it was belatedly revealed by the player that he demanded KRW 200 million three times, asking catcher Park Dong-won, who is about to receive a down payment of at least KRW 1.2 billion, but was rejected. He was also indicted on this charge, but the court acquitted him.
youll@sportschosun.com
