'Master carpenter's tree embezzlement was not intentional,' says prosecution

A case on Shin Eung-soo, a master carpenter who was probed by police in 2014 for an alleged embezzlement of four Geumgang pine trees used to restore Gwanghamun, is being reexamined by prosecutors from ground up. While Shin allegedly used Russian pine trees in the restorage of the Sungnyemun Gate, which was later found groundless by the Korea Forest Office, whether Shin can be free of wood embezzlement suspicion remains to be seen.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office is known to have recently summoned Shin and other related persons on alleged wood embezzlement. After examining statements by related persons and evidence, prosecutors ultimately judged that the volume of wood used unproperly by Shin was much smaller than what police had found. In addition, there was no circumstantial evidence that Shin was intentional or violating law while using the wood for other purposes.

Sources from Shin are said to have consistently claimed, "It happened because the quality of wood provided to us wasn't good, and he didn't intentionally pocket them." In response, some prosecutors say Shin used certain wood for other purposes then mandated, which can be reason for violation of administrative rules but not subject to criminal punishment.

Shin was sent to prosecutors in March 2014 for allegations that he brought four Geumgang pine trees (appraisal value of at least 39,650 U.S. dollars) to his lumbermill in April 2008, while using 154 woods (appraisal value of about 34,754 dollars), which were donated by the public for Sungnyemun Gate restoration, in other construction projects including restoring Suragan in Gyeongbok Palace in May 2012.

장관석기자 jks@donga.com