▲ 파기환송심 재판에 출석한 박경귀 아산시장이 선고 후 법원을 나서고 있다.  © 정치부기자단

공직선거법을 위반한 혐의로 재판에 넘겨져 1심과 2심에서 당선무효형인 벌금 1500만 원을 선고 받은 박경귀 아산시장에 대해 파기환송심에서도 당선무효형에 해당하는 벌금 1500만 원을 선고 받았다.

대법원에 의해 항소심 재판의 절차적 문제 제기가 받아 들여져 사건이 대전고법으로 파기환송된 박 시장의 공직선거법 위반 선고 공판에서 대전고법 형사1부(재판장 김병식)는 9일 공직선거법 위반 혐의로 기소된 박경귀 아산시장에 대해 원심과 같이 벌금 1500만원을 선고했다. 

이날 박 시장에 대한 선고에서 파기환송심 재판부는 "상대 후보가 허위매각했다는 근거가 턱없이 빈약했음에도 사실이라고 강조하며 부정적 인식을 강화했다"며 "이 사건 허위사실을 통해 당시 박빙이었던 선거 상황을 반전시킬 수 있었을 것이고 실제 투표차도 근소한 점 등을 볼 때 선거에 미친 영향을 고려해 엄중한 처벌이 필요하다"고 판시했다. 

앞서 박 시장은 지난 2022년 6.1 지방선거 당시 아산시장에 출마한 더불어민주당 오세현 후보에 대해 허위 부동산 매각 의혹을 유포한 혐의로 기소됐었다.

1심 재판부는 "허위 의혹을 제기한 원룸 거래는 정상적 거래로 보이고, 캠프 사무장의 말만 믿고 사실 확인을 하지 않은 것은 허위성 인식에 대한 미필적 고의가 충분히 인정된다"며 검찰 구형량인 벌금 800만원보다 높은 벌금 1500만원을 선고했다.

이후 박 시장은 1심 재판에 불복해 항소를 제기 했으나 항소심 역시 원심 판결을 유지해 벌금 1500만 원을 선고 했었다.

박 시장은 항소심 판결에 불복해 대법원에 상고하고 대법원의 판결을 구했었다.

상고심 심리에 나선 대법원은 박 시장 측 변호인에 대한 소송기록접수통지를 하지 않은 채 판결을 선고해 소송절차의 법령 위반에 해당된다는 박 시장측 의견을 받아들여 사건을 대전고법으로 되돌려 보냈다. 

앞서 지난 4일 대전고법에서 열린 박경귀 아산시장에 대한 파기환송심 결심 공판에서 검찰은 1, 2심과 동일한 당선무효형인 벌금 1500만 원을 구형했었다.

한편 선출직 공무원이 공직선거법 위반 혐의로 벌금 100만원 이상의 형이 확정되면 직을 잃게된다.

박 시장은 당선무효형을 선고 받으면서 아산시정 운영에 상당한 부담으로 작용하게 될 것으로 보인다.

*아래는 위 기사를 '구글 번역'으로 번역한 영문 기사의 [전문]입니다. '구글번역'은 이해도를 높이기를 위해 노력하고 있습니다. 영문 번역에 오류가 있을 수 있음을 전제로 합니다.<*The following is [the full text] of the English article translated by 'Google Translate'. 'Google Translate' is working hard to improve understanding. It is assumed that there may be errors in the English translation.>

Daejeon High Court sentences Asan Mayor Park Kyung-gwi to invalidate election in remand trial

Asan Mayor Park Gyeong-gwi, who was taken to trial on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act and sentenced to a fine of 15 million won, equivalent to invalidating his election in the first and second trials, was also sentenced to a fine of 15 million won, equivalent to invalidating his election, in the remand trial.

At the sentencing hearing for Mayor Park's violation of the Public Official Election Act, where the Supreme Court accepted procedural issues in the appellate trial and remanded the case to the Daejeon High Court, Daejeon High Court Criminal Division 1 (Presiding Judge Kim Byeong-sik) found Park Kyung indicted on the 9th on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act. As with the original trial, the mayor of Asan was sentenced to a fine of 15 million won.

In sentencing Mayor Park on this day, the court in the reversal and remand trial said, "Even though the evidence that the opposing candidate made false sales was extremely weak, it strengthened the negative perception by emphasizing that it was true," and "Through the false facts in this case, the election situation that was at the time was reversed." “It could have been done, and considering the fact that the actual voting margin was small, severe punishment is necessary considering the impact it had on the election,” the ruling ruled.

Previously, Mayor Park was indicted on charges of spreading false real estate sale suspicions about Democratic Party candidate Oh Se-hyun, who was running for mayor of Asan during the June 1 local elections in 2022.

The first trial court said, “The one-room transaction that raised false suspicions appears to be a normal transaction, and the failure to confirm the facts by relying only on the words of the camp manager is fully recognized as an intentional and negligent attempt to perceive falsehood,” and imposed a fine higher than the 8 million won fine requested by the prosecution. Sentenced to 15 million won.

Afterwards, Mayor Park filed an appeal against the first trial, but the appeals court also upheld the original judgment and sentenced him to a fine of 15 million won.

Mayor Park was dissatisfied with the appellate court's ruling and appealed to the Supreme Court and sought the Supreme Court's ruling.

The Supreme Court, which was hearing the appeal, accepted Mayor Park's opinion that the decision was made without notifying Mayor Park's lawyer of receipt of the lawsuit record, which constituted a violation of the law of litigation procedures, and sent the case back to the Daejeon High Court.

Previously, at the trial on the 4th at the Daejeon High Court to determine the retrial of Asan Mayor Park Kyung-gwi, the prosecution requested a fine of 15 million won, which is the same penalty as the 1st and 2nd trials.

Meanwhile, if an elected official is sentenced to a fine of 1 million won or more for violating the Public Official Election Act, he or she will lose his/her position.

Mayor Park is expected to place a significant burden on the management of Asan city administration as he is sentenced to invalidation of his election.