Lee Kwang-jae, governor of Gangwon Province, was stripped of his position Thursday as the Supreme Court upheld a lower court’s sentence.

Lee was earlier sentenced to a one-year prison term and a forfeit order of 114 million won ($102,000) for having received kickbacks from Park Yeon-cha, CEO of shoemaking company, Taekwang Industry.

The term will also deprive Lee, who was an aide of the late President Roh Moo-hyun and one of the most prominent politicians among liberals, of opportunities to bid at any public election for the next 10 years.

Lee was indicted in April 2009 over seven accusations including the receipt of 10 million won from an acquaintance of Chung Sang-moon, a high-ranking Cheong Wa Dae official, in 2004 and receiving $140,000 and 20 million won from Park and Chung Dae-kun, former head of Nonghyup, between 2004 and 2008. 

He pled innocence, saying he had been offered bribes but had refused them.

The lower courts convicted four of them. Currently, officials given fines exceeding 1 million won are stripped of their positions.

“Yes, I am disappointed by the verdict. The reason I am sad is not because I have lost my job, but because I have lost the opportunity of being with these wonderful people. It was a privilege to have worked for Gangwon residents,” Lee said.

Lee ran for the local election last June as the main opposition Democratic Party member in the middle of the trial. He received the prison term right after the election but the Constitutional Court decided to suspend any punishment until the Supreme Court confirms its verdict.

Alongside Lee, Rep. Suh Gab-won of the DP lost his job on the same day as he was given a 12 million won-fine for having received 60 million won from Park. 

Rep. Park Jin of the ruling Grand National Party will be able to maintain his seat in the National Assembly as he was given a 800,000 won fine for having received $20,000 and 10 million won from Park in 2008.

The top court also cleared Lee Sang-chul, former vice mayor of Seoul and former president of Monthly Chosun magazine, from receiving $20,000 from Park in February 2007 in exchange for good article coverage of Taekwang.

The case began when the scandal-ridden Park Yeon-cha was arrested in December 2008 for evading 29 billion won ($22.8 mil.) in tax and giving 2 billion won in kickbacks to former Nonghyup head Chung to acquire one of the company’s affiliates at a cheap price.

The investigation expanded, involving 21 people in the political and government arena including the late former President Roh Moo-hyun, who killed himself in May 2009 after being questioned over the scandal, which closed the investigation. Only two people ―- Chun Shin-il, chairman of Sejoong Namo Tour, and Park himself ― are awaiting verdicts.

With two losing their public positions, the April 28 by-election will become a battle between the opposition and ruling parties: Three lawmaker and five local administration head positions are vacant.

The GNP, which experienced mesmerizing defeat at the June general election last year, has already geared up to recruit aspiring candidate, which range from former MBC president Ohm Ki-young to former GNP lawmaker Lee Ke-jin. The DP, apparently shocked over the loss of its main figures, is expected to take time for recovery, political observers said.

By Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)