The Seoul Western District Court Friday dropped graft charges against Kim Jung-hoe, deputy governor of the Financial Supervisory Service and Han Kwang-ok, an ex-chief secretary of former President Kim Dae-jung.
Kim was accused of taking 235 million won from the former owner of a Seoul department store in return for helping his failed business takeover attempt in 2001.
Meanwhile, Han, a former four-term lawmaker, was indicted in January for allegedly having the department store owner pay more than 100 million won ($106,200) in office rent on behalf of Kwon Roh-kap, another close aide to the former president, in early 1999 in return for influence peddling. Han assumed the influential presidential aide post later that year.
Han confessed to having done favors for the businessman, Kim Heung-ju, in exchange for his cooperation, prosecutors said. The court doubted the credibility of Kim Heung-ju's statements on the bribe.
The court sentenced Kim Heung-ju to seven years in jail for fraud, embezzlement, breach of trust and issuance of bad checks.