By Yun Suh-young
A former prosecutor who received luxury items from a law firm in exchange for peddling her influence in a court ruling was sentenced to three years in prison by a local court, Friday.
The Busan District Court handed down the sentence to the female prosecutor identified only as Lee. It also ordered her to pay a 44.6 million won fine and seized a Chanel bag and clothing she had received as bribes.
“As a prosecutor, she should have retained her integrity as a public servant. Lee, however, took bribes in return for influence peddling. The nature of her crime is very bad,” said the presiding judge upon delivering the ruling. “Therefore, it is proper to sentence the defendant to a prison sentence considering the seriousness of her crime.”
The court added that Lee seemed not to be aware of the severity of her wrongdoings.
She had received 56 million won in cash and valuables from a lawyer surnamed Choi, with whom she was having an affair, for influence peddling in a trial in Oct. 2010. She received luxury items including the use of a Mercedes-Benz leased by Choi’s firm from September that year until May last year. She also spent millions of won with a corporate credit card she received from Choi.
Lee, dubbed “the Mercedes prosecutor,” resigned from her position in November last year.