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Tue, August 9, 2022 | 13:24
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Acquittal of ex-Seoul police chief backfires
민주, '김용판 무죄' 공세 속 당내 후폭풍
Posted : 2014-02-07 16:30
Updated : 2014-02-07 16:30
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Kwon Eun-hee, in the left photo, a police officer who led an investigation into allegations that the National Intelligence Service (NIS) interfered in the 2012 presidential election, speaks at a press conference at Songpa Police Station, Friday. She criticized the court's acquittal of former Seoul Police Chief Kim Yong-pan, seen in the photo on the right. / Yonhap
Kwon Eun-hee, in the left photo, a police officer who led an investigation into allegations that the National Intelligence Service (NIS) interfered in the 2012 presidential election, speaks at a press conference at Songpa Police Station, Friday. She criticized the court's acquittal of former Seoul Police Chief Kim Yong-pan, seen in the photo on the right. / Yonhap

By Jun Ji-hye


The opposition is fiercely protesting the acquittal of former Seoul police chief Kim Yong-pan, one of the key figures involved in the alleged meddling in the 2012 presidential election by the nation's spy agency.

The Seoul Central District Court found Kim innocent, Thursday, citing a lack of evidence to prove that he downsized a police investigation into allegations that agents of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) engaged in an online smear campaign against opposition presidential candidates.

On Dec. 16, just three days ahead of the election, police announced that they had found no online posts against the candidates by NIS operatives. Kim had been accused of having orchestrated the hasty announcement, which later proved to be false.

The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) held an emergency meeting and rally Friday, calling for the appointment of a special prosecutor to unearth the truth behind the alleged NIS scandal.

It also submitted a motion to the National Assembly calling for the dismissal of Justice Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, saying he should take responsibility.

"The court ruling reflects that the Park Geun-hye government is attempting to erase traces of election meddling and intentionally hamper the investigation into it," the DP said in a statement.

Indicted in June for violating the Election Law and the Police Officers Law, Kim Yong-pan was charged with abusing his power to minimize the police investigation into the alleged attempts to exert influence in the presidential poll by the NIS.

President Park Geun-hye won the election by a slight margin against the DP's Moon Jae-in.

The DP argued, "The prosecution's shabby investigation came as a result of the Park government's unfair dismissal of former top prosecutor Chae Dong-wook and a change of the head of investigation team."

The party said the NIS's systematic intervention in the election was an "undeniable truth," and demanded President Park accept its request to appoint a special prosecutor, dismiss the justice minister and make an official apology.

Who's responsible?

Moon said the court's verdict left an indelible stain on the history of the judiciary, and accused the Park government of abusing its power to obstruct the investigation by the prosecution.

He was quoted by Rep. Yun Ho-jung as saying, "The court excluded testimony from Kwon Eun-hee who swore an oath to tell the truth to a National Assembly hearing, while accepting testimony from Kim who refused to take the oath."

Kwon was the police officer in charge of the investigation. She claimed that Kim ordered officers to minimize the investigation and conceal evidence, but the court noted that all witnesses except her testified they were not ordered to do so.

Kwon held a press conference at Songpa Police Station, saying "The acquittal is a very shocking, unexpected and unacceptable result."

She claimed that differences among witnesses were typical during a whistle blowing incident, but the court did not take this into consideration.

Following Kim's acquittal, all eyes are on the outcome of the trial of former NIS director Won Sei-hoon who was indicted on charges of ordering his agents to post online comments, because the same judge is in charge.

Similar to Kim's case, the prosecution is believed to have failed to find direct evidence to prove Won actually directed the operatives to run the smear campaign.

Opposition lawmakers are speculating that Kim's acquittal raises the chances that Won could receive the same verdict.

Rep. Shin Kyoung-min of the DP claimed that "the Park administration is operating a project to clear charges against Kim and Won."

The ruling Saenuri Party downplayed this, saying, "The indictment was unreasonable in the first place."

Spokeswoman Kang Eun-hee said, "The opposition should stop politicizing the issue."


민주, '김용판 무죄' 공세 속 당내 후폭풍

일각서 지도부 책임론…원세훈 판결 벌써 '걱정'

    민주당은 7일 김용판 전 서울경찰청장에 대한 1심 무죄 판결과 관련, '무죄 만들기 프로젝트가 가동된 결과'라고 강력 반발하며 국가기관 대선개입 의혹 특별검사 도입을 다시 주장하고 나섰다.

    '정권 퇴진' 구호가 다시 등장할 정도로 격앙된 분위기가 팽배한 가운데 당내 일각에서는 특검 도입을 관철하지 못한 지도부 책임을 거론, 후폭풍 조짐까지 보였다.

    최고위원회의와 긴급 의원총회에서는 강도 높은 규탄 발언이 쏟아졌다.

    김한길 대표는 '진실과 국민이 모욕당했다'면서 '집권세력의 무죄 만들기 프로젝트는 결국 엄청난 정치적 부담으로 작용할 것임을 경고한다'고 밝혔다.

    양승조 최고위원은 '진실을 요구한 국민에게 유죄를 선고한 외눈박이 판결로 양심을 저버린 사법부 최후의 날이 될 것'이라고 했고, 우원식 최고위원도 '성공한 쿠데타는 정당했다는 판결만큼 비상식적'이라고 주장했다.

    박혜자 최고위원은 '너무 황당해서 억장이 무너진다는 뜻의 사자성어를 국민은 '용판무죄'라고 한다'며 비꼬기도 했다.

    정청래 의원은 자신의 트위터를 통해 김 전 청장의 무죄 판결과 관련해 '이제 우리가 부정한 박근혜 정권 물러가라고 외칠 때'라며 정권 퇴진까지 주장했다.

    민주당은 의총 직후 '특검촉구 및 김용판 부실수사 규탄대회'를 열어 특검 도입 관철 의지를 다지며 특검 논의에 다시 불을 지폈다.

    민주당은 규탄대회 결의문에서 '126명 민주당 의원은 국민이 주인인 대한민국을 위해 불퇴전의 각오로 투쟁할 것을 서약한다'고 선언했다.

    또 박 대통령에게 ▲ 특검 수용 ▲ 황교안 법무장관 해임 ▲ 국가기관 대선개입에 대한 대국민 사죄를 촉구한 뒤 황 장관 등의 해임건의안을 곧바로 국회에 제출했다.

    이런 강경 대응은 김 전 청장에게 무죄를 선고한 재판부가 사건의 핵심인 원세훈 전 국정원장의 1심 재판까지 맡고 있다는 점을 의식한 측면도 있다.

    당 법률위원장인 박범계 의원은 MBC 라디오 '신동호의 시선집중'에서 '이런 식의 증거법칙을 재판부가 활용한다면 그 전망은 민주당 입장으로서는 매우 불투명하고 암울하다고 예상한다'고 우려했다.

    뿐만아니라 이번 무죄 선고를 계기로 지도부가 특검에 미온적이었다는 일부 불만의 목소리가 수면 위로 떠올라 당내 갈등의 불씨가 되고 있다.

    정청래 의원은 의총에서 '민주당도 책임으로부터 자유로울 수 없다고 생각한다. 좀 더 치열하게 싸웠더라면 재판결과가 나아지지 않았을까 하는 아쉬움이 크다'고 말했다.

    전날 긴급 최고위회의에서도 일부 참석자들이 '특검을 밀어붙이지 못한 데 대한 내부 비판 여론이 있다'고 하자, 김 대표가 '박 대통령을 타깃으로 삼아야지 왜 지도부를 겨냥하냐. 재판 결과까지 어떻게 책임지냐'라며 화를 낸 것으로 알려졌다.
Emailjjh@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
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