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Park’s secret doctors found guilty of unlawful treatments, perjury
  • By Choi Gwang-seok
  • Published 2017.05.19 11:39
  • Updated 2017.05.19 15:18
  • comments 0

All doctors charged with treating – unlawfully and secretively -- former President Park Geun-hye or committing other illegal acts in relation to the “Choi Soon-sil scandal” have received verdicts of guilty.

On Thursday, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced Professor Chung Kee-yang정기양, a dermatologist at Severance Hospital세브란스병원, to a year in prison for lying under oath, and put him under court custody.

Chung, who served as the ousted president’s dermatologist from March 2013 to July 2014, falsely testified that he had “never planned a beauty treatment for President Park.” An investigation later revealed that he had planned the “New Young’s Lift” treatment, along with presidential physician Lee Byung-suk이병석, also of Severance Hospital, ahead of Park’s summer vacation.

"It is acknowledged that defendant Chung discussed with Lee to perform lifting procedures during Park's summer vacation. However, he made false statements during the parliamentary hearing,” the presiding judge said. “The defendant was quick to lie at the National Assembly to avoid repercussions to himself and Severance Hospital. It is the same as lying to the whole nation.”

A video footage shows witnesses take the oath before the National Assembly's special committee to investigate a corruption scandal which led to the ouster of former President Park Geun-hye.

The court also sentenced Lee Lim-soon이임순, a professor at Soon Chun Hyang University Hospital순천향대병원, to 10 months in jail, suspended for two years.

Professor Lee, who was charged with the same perjury, admitted his wrongdoing during the investigation. Lee had been accused of lying under oath about introducing Kim Young-jae, another dermatologist, and his wife to the presidential doctor, Suh Chang-Suk.서창석

After the trial, Lee refused to answer to journalists’ questions concerning the sentencing and left the court.

Doctor Kim Young-jae김영재 and his wife, Park Chae-yoon박채윤, indicted with suspicion of secretive treatment and bribery could not escape verdicts of guilty, either.

Kim received jail term of one-and-a-half years in prison, suspended for three years, and a fine of 3 million won ($2,650)

Kim failed to record the details of his medical treatment of the former president and denied the suspicions at the parliamentary hearing. The court said, “The defendant visited the Blue House 14 times and performed herbal treatment for the former president five times without going through the official entrance procedure. He also hid the truth by lying about the non-medical treatment at the Assembly.”

His wife, Park was accused of handing over 49 million won worth of money and skin treatment to Ahn Jong-bum안종범, former senior economic secretary to Park, as well as 10 million won of cash and gift to the former secretary of health and welfare, Kim Jin-su. She was sentenced to one year in prison.

The court stated that “she continually provided goods and money in return for special treatment to Ahn and thereby gained benefits by taking advantage of the Choi’s monopoly on the government. The crime also deprived many of the same small and medium-sized companies of competing fairly.”

Kim Sang-man김상만, former president of the Green Cross I-med녹십자아이메드 who was accused of violating the medical law, was sentenced a fine of 10 million won. Kim had falsely recorded the former president’s name as “Choi Soon-sil,” “Choi Soon-deuk” -- and “Gilime,” a soap opera character.

The court said that “the defendant, as an official advisor, did not follow formal procedures and treated Park without authorization. However, it seems that he did so because Park wanted to conceal her identity, and he also did not receive any special benefits from the practice.”

cks@docdocdoc.co.kr

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