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Ex-president Lee Myung-bak during his first trial on May 23. (photo pool)
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Will be first live broadcast of sentencing with defendant present
Sentencing in the first trial of former President Lee Myung-bak is to be broadcast live on its scheduled Oct. 5 date. It is to be the third case of live airing of a lower court’s sentencing, following the trial of former President Park Geun-hye, and the first to take place with the defendant in attendance. “In reflection of the public interest and other factors, we have accepted requests from multiple news outlets to permit live broadcasting of the sentencing of former President Lee Myung-bak,” announced the 27th criminal division of Seoul Central District Court under Hon. Judge Jeong Gye-seon on Oct. 2. As with Park’s sentencing, the sentencing is to be filmed and transmitted with court cameras rather than those of the news outlets. Sentencing in Lee’s first trial is scheduled to take place at 2 pm on Oct. 5 in criminal courtroom No. 417 at Seoul Central District Court. Lee did not provide his consent for the live broadcast. The current plan for the sentencing date is for Lee to be filmed only when entering and leaving the courtroom. As in Park’s case, only the judge, prosecutors, and counsel are to be shown while the sentencing is taking place. The decision was reportedly made in consideration of Lee’s denial of consent for the live broadcasting. While a Supreme Court amendment of rules last year enabled live broadcasting of sentencing in lower courts, no court has yet permitted it apart from the first trial sentencing in Park’s case. Park filed for an injunction objecting to the decision to broadcast sentencing in the first trial in her influence-peddling case, but it was not accepted by the court. Park was not seen in the defendants’ box after she declined to appear in court. In the second trials of Park and Samsung Electronics vice chairman Lee Jae-yong, requests for live broadcasting were denied due to the defendants’ refusal to consent and concerns about possible adverse consequences for the defendants. By Kim Min-kyoung, staff reporter Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]
