Former Gyeonggi Province Vice Gov. Lee Hwa-young answers questions during a parliamentary hearing in Seoul, Oct.25. Yonhap

An appellate court on Thursday upheld a guilty verdict for a former vice governor of Gyeonggi Province over allegations of accepting substantial bribes from Ssangbangwool Group and involvement in an unauthorized remittance case to North Korea.

The Suwon High Court, however, reduced the sentence of the former vice governor, Lee Hwa-young, to seven years and eight months, from a lower court's sentencing of nine years and six months.

The court also imposed a fine of 250 million won ($172,153) and a forfeit of about 320 million won on Lee.

The court's ruling confirmed that Ssangbangwool Group sent money to North Korean officials on behalf of Gyeonggi Province at that time.

Lee was indicted in October 2022 on charges of receiving political funds amounting to over 330 million won, including bribes totaling over 250 million won, from the group between July 2018 and July 2022.

These funds were purportedly provided through methods such as corporate card and vehicle usage, as well as false salary payments to his associates.

The North Korea remittance case involves allegations that the group paid approximately $5 million to North Korea in 2019, which was promised by Gyeonggi Province to support a smart farm project, as well as $3 million for the expenses of the then governor, now Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, during his visit to North Korea. (Yonhap)