A Seoul court on Thursday rejected the prosecution’s request for a warrant to arrest Cho Yoon-sun, a former culture minister and presidential aide to ousted President Park Geun-hye, on charges of bribery and abuse of power. 

Judge Oh Min-seok of the Seoul Central District Court said that her charges are disputable and that it is difficult to acknowledge the possibility of her destroying evidence, given the progress of the investigation.

The prosecution sought an arrest warrant for Cho on Dec. 22 on fresh allegations that she took at least 50 million won ($46,500) in bribes from the National Intelligence Service between 2014 and 2015, when she served as a senior presidential secretary for political affairs under Park.

Cho is also suspected of pressuring the Federation of Korean Industries, the nation’s largest business lobby, to financially support pro-government civic groups.

Cho is being tried at the appeals court for her alleged role in blacklisting and discriminating against liberal artists critical of the Park administration. She was arrested in January, but was released from custody in July after the lowest court sentenced her to one year in prison, suspended for two years.

The prosecution said in a statement that it is “difficult to accept the reasons behind the rejection.”

“Her charges in connection with the grave crime were sufficiently clarified by (evidence) such as documents from the presidential office indicating (her) involvement in supporting conservative groups and her subordinate’s testimony,” it said.

The prosecution also said it is “unfair” that Cho avoided arrest while her subordinate Heo Hyeon-jun, a presidential office staff member under the Park administration, was arrested on the same charges.

Amid an escalating probe into the nation’s spy agency in recent weeks, the court has set free some of the key suspects accused of meddling in politics and offering bribes to ex-President Park. The prosecution, in a rare move, has protested the decisions.

Among those freed are former Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin and his deputy Lim Kwan-bin, who are suspected of leading an online smear campaign on behalf of former President Lee Myung-bak. They were arrested, but released from custody earlier this month after they asked for a review of the legality of their arrests.

(laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)