Ex-head of tobacco manufacturer acquittal upheld

By Lee Kyung-min

Min Young-jin

An appellate court upheld a lower court ruling that acquitted former CEO of a local tobacco manufacturer of bribery, Friday. It cited a lack of credibility of testimony from those who incriminated him.

The Seoul High Court found former KT&G CEO Min Young-jin not guilty of bribery, saying testimony of his former subordinates and subcontractors were inconsistent.

“Taking into account the testimony from all figures involved, his crime was not proven beyond a reasonable doubt,” the court said.

Min, who headed the firm between 2010 and July 2015, was indicted in January last year for allegedly receiving a total of 179 million won ($156,000) worth of cash and valuables from his subcontractors, a company subordinate and a foreign buyer, between 2009 and 2012 in return for numerous business and personal favors. The valuables included five Rolex watches and one Swiss luxury-brand watch which cost 45 million won.

He was suspected of receiving 40 million won in cash from his subordinate who asked for a favor in October 2009.

He also allegedly received 30 million won from a subcontractor in February in 2010, soon after he became the CEO.

Min was acquitted of offering some 600 million won worth of bribes to a government official in return for helping him buy public land in Cheongju, North Chungchoeng Province. The court said he had no reason to purchase the public land with such desperation that he had to offer bribes to a city official.

Earlier, following the lower court’s acquittal, he was released from custody. He had been indicted with physical detention.