Kim Dae-ki, the former chief of staff to President Yoon Suk Yeol, requested to be tried without detention but was denied bail by the court due to concerns over potential evidence tampering.
According to Yonhap News on July 13, the Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Division 36, led by Judge Lee Jeong-yeop, rejected Kim's bail application, which was based on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of justice.
The court determined that Kim fell under the legal restrictions for bail due to the risk of destroying evidence. It assessed that proceeding with the trial while he remained free could impact the collection of evidence, considering testimonies and materials related to the main allegations.
During the bail hearing, Kim argued, "The Yoon Suk Yeol administration has collapsed and is no longer in a position to exert influence," denying the possibility of evidence tampering. However, the court appeared to conclude that the nature of the case warranted a consideration of evidence destruction risks, independent of any changes in Kim's social influence.
Kim faces allegations of directing the illegal diversion and execution of 2.09 billion won from the Ministry of Interior's budget to pay an unqualified contractor, 21 Gram, during the relocation of the presidential residence in 2022.
At the time, the budget allocated for interior work was 1.44 billion won, but 21 Gram submitted an estimate of approximately 4.12 billion won for the interior costs. Investigations revealed that the presidential office proceeded with the work without verifying or adjusting the inflated estimate, which was three times the original plan.
The second special prosecutor's team, led by Kwon Chang-young, reported that the presidential office pressured the Ministry of Interior to illegally execute the increased construction costs, leading to Kim and three others being indicted in June.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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