Kim Keon Hee, who was indicted in custody on charges including receiving valuables tied to the Unification Church, was sentenced to prison in a first-trial ruling. The decision came after former President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to five years in prison on charges of obstructing an arrest by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, marking the first time in South Korea’s constitutional history that a former president and spouse have both received prison terms at the same time.
The Seoul Central District Court’s Criminal Division 27, led by Presiding Judge Woo In Sung, sentenced Kim to one year and eight months on charges of violating the Capital Markets Act, violating the Political Funds Act and influence peddling under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes. The court ordered the confiscation of one seized Graff necklace and imposed forfeiture of 12,815,000 won, payable in advance.
The court found Kim guilty on only part of the influence-peddling allegations involving the receipt of money and valuables connected to Unification Church-related matters. It acquitted her of allegations tied to Deutsche Motors stock-price manipulation under the Capital Markets Act and claims involving free opinion polling provided by Myung Tae Kyun under the Political Funds Act. The sentence was far below what Special Counsel Min Joong Ki’s team sought at last month’s closing arguments: 15 years in prison, a 2 billion won fine and about 900 million won in forfeiture.
After the ruling, the special counsel team said it would appeal, saying, “The court’s findings on co-perpetration, political-funds donations and solicitation that led to acquittals are difficult to accept in light of legal principles and common sense, and the sentencing for the guilty portion is also insufficient.” Kim’s lawyers also said they are reviewing whether to appeal, arguing the sentence is excessive.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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