Public interest whistleblower Cho Myung-hyeon, who appeared as a witness in the trial of Kim Hye-kyung, accused of providing meals to the wives of National Assembly members using a Gyeonggi-do company card during the presidential primaries, asked that Kim leave the office.
At the third trial held today in the Suwon District Court on charges of violating the Official Public Election Law against Mr. Kim, the prosecution said: “Mr. Cho asked the defendant to leave the court, saying that would have made a statement in the presence of the defendant was psychologically taxing.”
In response to this, Mr. Kim’s side raised an objection, saying: “The witness did not work face to face with the defendant, and he testified without problems in the last trial.”
Then, the court said: “It is necessary to protect the right of defense of the accused” and ordered that the witness be interrogated with a screen installed.
The prosecution, which conducted the main investigation today, asked Mr Cho how the meal Mr Kim had with the wives of National Assembly members at the time was paid for with the company card of the Gyeonggi Provincial Office in August last year, and Mr. Cho. Cho responded, “Mr. Bae, who was Mr. Kim’s assistant, responded by saying that I had provided detailed instructions on the payment method.
In the trial that continued into the afternoon, when the prosecution attempted to use an audio file in which Cho recorded a conversation between Bae and another secretary to question witnesses, Kim’s side raised doubts about the admissibility of the evidence , then the process was updated.
For further examination, the court decided not to use the evidence published in the newspaper during today’s trial.
Mr Cho is expected to take part as a witness in the trial, which will continue on the 2nd of next month.
#Whistleblower #Gyeonggido #Court #Embezzlement #Suspicion #Asks #Kim #Hyekyung #Leave #Office #Testifying
