SEOUL– A Seoul court delivered a not-guilty verdict to a former presidential spokesperson charged with assaulting a firefighter under the influence of alcohol.
Jeong Yeon-guk, who served as spokesperson for former President Park Geun-hye from 2015-17, was indicted on charges of slapping the female firefighter in the face in February last year when she came to help him after he broke his nose from a fall.
Resisting the firefighter’s help, Jeong allegedly used violence against her.
The Seoul Central Di strict Court, however, cleared Jeong of charges of violating the basic fire service acts, accepting his claims that he “did not know she was a firefighter” because she was wearing an anti-COVID-19 hazmat suit at the time.
The court also turned down the charges of violence, as he reached a settlement with the victim.
A former television journalist, Jeong joined Cheong Wa Dae in October 2015 and served as the last presidential spokesperson under the Park administration.
Source: Yonhap News Agency