Former Democratic Party lawmaker Noh Woong-raeโs acquittal on bribery and illegal political-fund charges became final Friday after prosecutors decided not to appeal the second-instance ruling to the Supreme Court. Noh had been acquitted in both the first and second trials.
He was accused of receiving 60 million won in five payments during 2020 in exchange for favors related to business matters. Courts found key prosecution evidence inadmissible because of problems with how it was obtained. Prosecutors said they considered recent stricter court rulings on procedures for obtaining evidence from previously seized materials, as well as the likelihood of success on appeal, before ending the case.