A Seoul court on Wednesday dismissed the request by a former senior aide to then-President Park Geun-hye to reconsider his arrest over alleged abuse of power in a scandal involving the state spy agency.
The Seoul Central District Court turned down the motion filed by Woo Byung-woo, an ex-senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, saying that the issuance of his arrest warrrant was a rightful decision made in accordance with the law.
The court decision against Woo's request is also seen as an acknowledgement that he presents a risk of destroying evidence and his detention is necessary for the ongoing investigation.
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The photo filed Dec. 27, 2017, shows Woo Byung-woo, former senior presidential secretary to then-President Park Geun-hye for civil affairs, walking towards the courthouse in southern Seoul to attend a hearing for review on his arrest. (Yonhap) |
Woo, 50, was arrested on Dec. 15 for ordering the National Intelligence Service to secretly keep tabs on government officials including a then presidential inspector who was pursuing a case against him over alleged corruption.
On Monday, Woo filed for a court review on the legality of the issuance of his writ. The court held a hearing on his request on Thursday.
The prosecution had filed for his arrest warrant twice in February and April, which were both denied by the court at the time.
Woo, 50, also stands accused of involvement in the creation and management of a blacklist of artists and cultural figures deemed critical of the Park government. He served his post in the presidential office from 2015-2016.
The former senior prosecutor is regarded as a key figure in the influence-peddling case that led to Park's ouster from office in March. He has already been standing trial without detention on charges that he overlooked and tried to cover up the scandal and that he abused his power to block an investigation into the Park government's mishandling of the 2014 ferry sinking that killed more than 300 passengers. (Yonhap)
