(2nd LD) Court acquits ex-President Yoon in power abuse case over envoy appointment

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SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- A Seoul court on Friday acquitted former President Yoon Suk Yeol of charges of helping a former defense minister evade a criminal investigation by naming him ambassador to Australia in 2023.

The Seoul Central District Court delivered the verdict after finding Yoon not guilty of multiple charges brought by special counsel Lee Myeong-hyeon's team, including aiding a criminal's flight and abuse of power.

The team had sought a five-year prison term for Yoon, accusing him of ordering the appointment of former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup as ambassador to Australia in November 2023 to help him evade an investigation into the alleged cover-up of a Marine's death earlier that year.

This file photo, taken Sept. 12, 2023, shows former President Yoon Suk Yeol (L) and former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup at the presidential office in central Seoul. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

The team argued that Yoon tried to send the former defense minister abroad to prevent the investigation from reaching Yoon himself as well. Lee left for Australia in March 2024 but returned only days after due to the controversy.

The court ruled that Yoon's instructions to appoint Lee could not be definitively seen as having intent to interfere with the investigation.

It said there is room to see the orders as a head of state exercising his authority over personnel decisions and could not be seen as "rashly" replacing the preceding ambassador with the former minister.

The court also acquitted five other former officials indicted in the case, including former National Security Adviser Cho Tae-yong and former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae.

Yoon has been standing multiple trials in connection with his failed bid to impose martial law in 2024, his wife's alleged corruption and the case of the Marine's death.

The main trial on charges that he led an insurrection through his martial law bid is under way at an appellate court after a lower court sentenced him to life in prison in February.

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr (END)

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(2nd LD) Court acquits ex-President Yoon in power abuse case over envoy appointment

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首尔，9月11日（韩联社）——首尔一家法院周五宣判前总统尹锡烈无罪，此前他被指控帮助一名前国防部长逃避刑事调查，任命其为2023年驻澳大利亚大使。

首尔中央地方法院在裁定尹某无罪后作出判决，此前特别检察官李明铉团队提出的多项指控均不成立，包括协助罪犯潜逃和滥用职权。

该团队寻求判处尹某五年监禁，指控他于 2023 年 11 月下令任命前国防部长李钟燮为驻澳大利亚大使，以帮助他逃避对当年早些时候一名海军陆战队员死亡事件涉嫌掩盖的调查。

这张摄于2023年9月12日的资料照片显示，韩国前总统尹锡烈（左）和前国防部长李钟燮在首尔市中心的总统府。（联社照片）（韩联社）

该团队认为，尹锡悦试图将前国防部长李光耀送往国外，以阻止调查牵连到他本人。李光耀于2024年3月前往澳大利亚，但几天后便因这场风波返回。

法院裁定，不能断然认定尹某指示任命李某为调查员的意图是干预调查。

声明称，这些命令可以理解为国家元首行使人事决定权，不能被视为“草率地”用前任部长取代前任大使。

法院还宣判该案中被起诉的其他五名前官员无罪，其中包括前国家安全顾问赵泰镛和前法务部长朴成宰。

尹锡悦因试图在 2024 年实施戒严令失败、其妻子涉嫌腐败以及海军陆战队员死亡案而面临多项审判。

2月份，下级法院判处他终身监禁，目前，他因涉嫌通过实施戒严令领导叛乱而接受上诉法院的主要审判正在进行中。

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr (完)

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（第二条）法院宣判前总统尹锡悦在特使任命案中滥用职权罪名不成立