Kim Keon Hee Gets 1 Year, 8 Months in Trial; Key Issues for Appeal A special prosecutor who sought a 15-year prison term for Kim Keon Hee ended up with a first-trial sentence of 1 year, 8 months. The Seoul Central District Court’s Criminal Division 27 found Kim not guilty of violating the Capital Markets Act (alleged conspiracy in the Deutsch Motors stock manipulation case) and the Political Funds Act, and convicted her only in part on charges of receiving money or valuables in return for influence under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes. The court dismissed some alleged 2010-2011 conduct under the capital-markets charge as time-barred. The special prosecutor’s three-step theory — “stock-manipulation conspiracy, presidential-election polling, and power-linked receipt of valuables” — did not hold in the ruling. The court narrowed the case away from stock manipulation and political funds and focused on the alleged receipt of valuables. The key questions now are where the prosecution’s conspiracy theory fell short and what variables could matter on appeal. Stock-manipulation ruling stopped short of finding a conspiracy In the Deutsch Motors case, the special prosecutor argued Kim conspired with a price-manipulation group, saying her accounts were not merely used but were part of executing the scheme. The court said there was room to believe Kim may have recognized the possibility her money could be used for price manipulation. But it drew a line between awareness and conspiracy. To treat her as a co-principal, the court said, her role throughout the crime and coordination with accomplices must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt — a standard it found unmet. The court also declined to treat the alleged manipulation as one continuous offense, instead dividing it by period and finding the statute of limitations had run on some parts. The court added that whether Kim aided and abetted was not before it because the indictment alleged only co-principal liability. Once conspiracy was rejected, the court said it had no basis to consider a lesser form of responsibility. Court cites lack of “exclusivity” in acquitting on polling allegations On the Political Funds Act charge, the special prosecutor argued that free services amounted to political funds, claiming multiple opinion polls were provided at no cost and should be treated as political contributions. The court applied a test it described as “exclusivity” — whether the benefit belonged only to a specific person. It said the prosecution needed to prove the poll results were provided exclusively to Kim and her husband and used for their political activity. But the court found the results were distributed to multiple people and said evidence was insufficient to recognize a written or implied contract. It also found the costs were covered through other channels. The court viewed the polls as part of business activity voluntarily carried out by a person identified as “Myung” to promote the Mirae Korea Research Institute and his own political analysis, and said the costs had already been covered, including about 240 million won received from local-election preliminary candidates. The court concluded that the mere fact no payment was made was not enough to label the polls political funds. Only influence-peddling conviction remains; sentence draws mixed views The remaining conviction involves allegations that Kim received an expensive bag and necklace from the Unification Church side in exchange for influence. The offense applies when someone accepts money or valuables on the pretext of conveying a matter tied to a public official’s duties or using influence; it does not require that a request be carried out. The court found an overall quid pro quo between requests for government-level support and the receipt of valuables. However, it said there was no sign Kim demanded the items first and found no evidence she tried to pass a request to the president to have it reflected in policy. The court also cited her lack of prior convictions and partial remorse. Assessments of the 1-year, 8-month sentence have differed, with some calling it light given the symbolic status of a first lady, and others saying it is not excessive given the acquittals on the stock-manipulation and political-funds charges. The ruling effectively framed the case not as a “comprehensive power-type crime” but as receiving valuables tied to status. Appeal may hinge on bolstering conspiracy claims and changing the indictment On appeal, the central issue is how tightly the special prosecutor can reinforce the conspiracy structure rejected at trial. A key variable is whether prosecutors will seek to amend the indictment to pursue aiding-and-abetting liability — an issue the trial court said was not in dispute and left undecided. But aiding and abetting can carry a narrower scope of responsibility than co-principal liability, potentially shifting the prosecution’s approach. If an appeals court reverses the trial court’s view that the alleged manipulation was not a single continuing offense, the starting point for the statute of limitations could also change, potentially affecting the time-barred dismissals. For the polling allegations, the question is how prosecutors would reconstruct “exclusivity,” including who effectively benefited and whether an implied contract can be further proven. In its ruling, the trial court quoted a phrase meaning “frugal but not shabby, splendid but not extravagant,” using it to criticize the first lady’s conduct. The appeal is expected to test whether that moral rebuke expands into a stricter legal finding of guilt or remains where the first ruling left it.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 16:45:24

Prosecutors appeal ex-president's sentence in martial law-related case SEOUL, January 22 (AJP) - Former President Yoon Suk Yeol's case over charges of alleged obstruction of law enforcement will go to an appeals court after Yoon and prosecutors decided to appeal the first ruling. Independent prosecutors said they reached the decision on Thursday, days after Yoon immediately appealed last week's verdict. In the first ruling delivered last Friday, Yoon was sentenced to five years in prison for obstructing investigators and other officials who attempted to detain him over his botched declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, 2024, one of several charges related to the short-lived, late-night debacle. Prosecutors had earlier sought 10 years in prison, but the court handed down a sentence roughly half of that, although it found him guilty on most charges. With both sides presenting differing arguments, the case will be the first to proceed to an appeals court among Yoon's eight different cases related to the debacle. Meanwhile, a verdict on the main charges of insurrection and abuse of power is expected to be handed down next month. 2026-01-22 16:57:47

Former DP lawmaker appears for questioning over alleged bribery SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) - Kang Sun-woo, a former lawmaker of the Democratic Party (DP), appeared for questioning in western Seoul on Tuesday. She is accused of receiving 100 million Korean won (US$68,500) from Seoul city official Kim Kyung in return for the DP's candidate nominations for the 2022 local elections. The money was allegedly delivered to Kang's former aide, identified only by his surname Nam. Her questioning comes nearly a month after an audio recording was abruptly revealed late last month, in which Kang is heard discussing the acceptance of the money with then–DP floor leader Kim Byung-ki, who left the party earlier this week after resigning from his post amid a spate of bribery allegations and other misconduct. Arriving at a police station in Mapo at around 9 a.m., Kang said, "I sincerely apologize for causing public concern," adding, "I will fully cooperate with the investigation." When asked whether she had received the money, she responded that she has "principles" and has "lived a life that adheres to those principles." Police are expected to investigate whether the money was delivered and later returned and, if so, why Kim was later given a single nomination. During earlier investigations, Kim and Nam gave statements that differed slightly from one another. 2026-01-20 10:22:51

Ex-DP lawmaker slapped with travel ban over alleged bribery SEOUL, January 12 (AJP) - Former Democratic Party (DP) lawmaker Kang Sun-woo has been banned from traveling, along with two others, over alleged bribery, police said on Monday. Kang, who recently left the party amid allegations, is accused of accepting 100 million Korean won (US$68,500) from Seoul city official Kim Kyung in return for the DP's candidate nominations for the 2022 local elections. The money was reportedly delivered to Kang's ex-aide, identified only by his surname Nam. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said it imposed the travel bans on the three, citing the seriousness of the case. The travel bans come a day after police raided their homes and offices to investigate how the money was delivered and used. The case emerged after an audio recording was abruptly released a few weeks ago, in which Kang is heard discussing the acceptance of the money with then-DP floor leader Kim Byung-ki, who resigned late last year amid a spate of bribery allegations and other misconduct. The Seoul city official, believed to have handed the money to Kang, was questioned the previous day upon her return to Seoul after traveling to the U.S. shortly after the allegations surfaced. But Kim, who was questioned for just three hours or so because of jet lag, is expected to be summoned again for further questioning. The Seoul city official, believed to have handed the money to Kang, was questioned the previous day upon her return to Seoul after traveling to the U.S. shortly after the allegations surfaced. Her questioning lasted only about three hours due to jet lag, and she is expected to be summoned again. Amid criticism that the investigation was too slow, potentially allowing suspects to destroy evidence, a score of complaints related to the case have been filed so far. 2026-01-12 16:28:39

Sentencing request for Yoon on insurrection charge put off to Jan. 13 SEOUL January 10 (AJP) -South Korea’s special prosecutor is expected to make a sentencing request for former President Yoon Suk Yeol on charges of leading an insurrection tied to his brief imposition of martial law in 2024, after a lower court on Friday postponed the final hearing following more than 15 hours of defense arguments that stretched to midnight. The Seoul Central District Court’s Criminal Division 25, presided over by Judge Ji Gui-yeon, announced it would hold an additional session on Jan. 13 to hear the prosecution’s final statement and sentencing request, as well as Yoon’s closing defense. Friday’s session, initially scheduled as the trial’s final hearing, overran significantly as defense teams continued reviewing documentary evidence and delivering closing arguments. Lawyers for former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who spoke first, spent the bulk of the day examining case materials, delaying subsequent proceedings. Kim’s defense argued that troops dispatched to the National Assembly and the National Election Commission did not commit insurrection or riot, saying soldiers neither restrained civilians nor exercised control, and followed “minimum unarmed and nonviolent principles.” The deployment, they said, was a routine security mission under a joint defense plan. On allegations of intimidation, the defense said service pistols were kept unloaded, with magazines detached and ammunition stored separately under a double-lock system, calling the situation “far from” any use of force. They also argued that accompanying personnel inside election facilities was meant to protect operations, not to conduct surveillance or interrogation. As proceedings dragged on, the court repeatedly raised concerns over fairness and feasibility. Judge Ji said it was “realistically difficult” to conclude arguments in a single day given the volume of materials, stressing the need to protect defendants’ rights while ensuring procedural efficiency. With midnight approaching, the court decided to end the session after all defendants except Yoon completed their arguments, postponing Yoon’s final statement and the prosecution’s sentencing request to Jan. 13. Yoon’s legal team objected to delivering key arguments late at night, citing the expanded scope of the case after recent amendments to the indictment. The special prosecutor’s team, led by Cho Eun-suk, said it had prepared to conclude proceedings Friday but agreed to the delay, citing physical limits after the prolonged hearing. Prosecutors have accused Yoon of masterminding an insurrection and could seek the death penalty or life imprisonment under South Korean law if he is found guilty. South Korea, however, has followed an unofficial moratorium for nearly three decades and has not carried out an execution since 1997. During hearings, prosecutors alleged that Yoon and then Defense Minister Kim began devising a plan as early as October 2023 to suspend the National Assembly and seize legislative authority. They further alleged that Yoon sought to label political opponents — including then opposition leader Lee Jae Myung — as “anti-state forces” and detain them. Prosecutors also claim the former president and Kim attempted to manufacture a pretext for declaring martial law by escalating tensions with North Korea through a covert drone operation, an allegation denied by the defense. Although the attempted imposition of martial law lasted only about six hours before collapsing, the move shocked Asia’s fourth-largest economy and elsewhere in the world as Korea posed as a key U.S. security ally long regarded as one of the region’s most resilient democracies. At the Jan. 13 hearing, the court plans to hear Yoon’s final defense, followed by the prosecution’s sentencing request, final statements from the defendants and the formal close of arguments. A verdict is widely expected in early February. 2026-01-10 08:44:42

Former Samsung researchers indicted over chip technology leak to China SEOUL, December 23 (AJP) - South Korean prosecutors said on Tuesday they have indicted five former employees of Samsung Electronics for leaking core semiconductor technology to a Chinese memory chipmaker. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office said five people were detained and charged with violating South Korea’s Unfair Competition Prevention and Trade Secret Protection Act and Industrial Technology Protection Act. Five others, including engineers at China's ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), were indicted without detention. Prosecutors said the suspects systematically transferred Samsung’s 10-nanometer-class DRAM process technology by recruiting key engineers and copying critical manufacturing data. At the time, the technology was held exclusively by Samsung, they said. CXMT later succeeded in mass-producing 10-nanometer-class DRAM in 2023 — the first in China — an achievement prosecutors said is difficult to explain through normal research and development timelines. According to prosecutors, CXMT was founded in 2016 through investment by a Chinese local government and a semiconductor design company. The company recruited a former Samsung department head as head of development shortly after its launch. Prosecutors said the researcher was tasked with securing Samsung’s proprietary 10-nanometer-class DRAM process technology and allegedly orchestrated the systematic poaching of key personnel responsible for each stage of the manufacturing process. The researcher prepared the alleged scheme in detail, including setting up a front company, frequently relocating offices and using coded communications to avoid detection, travel bans or arrest, according to the prosecutors. Another Samsung researcher allegedly copied by hand process recipe plan (PRP) information — described as critical documentation for DRAM manufacturing — before joining CXMT. Prosecutors said this enabled CXMT to obtain the full 10-nanometer-class DRAM process technology, which at the time was held exclusively by Samsung worldwide. CXMT later recruited additional Samsung personnel and began full-scale DRAM development, the prosecutors said. Prosecutors said the leaks caused significant economic damage, estimating Samsung’s 2024 revenue loss at about 5 trillion won, with broader damage potentially reaching tens of trillions of won. 2025-12-23 15:42:49

Louis Vuitton trademark case goes public at Korea's Supreme Court SEOUL, December 18 (AJP) -South Korea’s Supreme Court will hold a public hearing later this month to decide whether remodeling luxury handbags into entirely new products constitutes trademark infringement, a case expected to set the court’s first clear benchmark on the legal limits of the so-called “reform” or upcycling business. According to the Supreme Court on Thursday, its Second Division, presided over by Justice Kwon Young-joon, will hear public arguments at 2 p.m. on Dec. 26 in Courtroom No. 1 in a lawsuit seeking an injunction for trademark infringement. The case pits French luxury brand Louis Vuitton against a bag remodeling operator, with the central question being whether extensive alteration of branded goods amounts to unauthorized trademark use. The dispute arose after the operator, at the request of customers, dismantled and remade Louis Vuitton handbags into different items — including other bags and wallets — while keeping the original Louis Vuitton logos intact. The operator charged fees for the service. Louis Vuitton argues that the practice is indistinguishable from unauthorized manufacturing and distribution of trademarked goods. It claims that retaining the logo on substantially altered products risks misleading consumers about the product’s origin and quality, thereby infringing trademark rights. The operator counters that consumers who lawfully purchased the bags have the right to alter their own property, including by outsourcing the work to a professional technician, and that such conduct does not constitute trademark infringement. At issue is whether the remodeling qualifies as “trademark use” that serves a source-identifying function, whether the remodeled items should be treated as new “products” under trademark law, and whether their circulation is likely to cause consumer confusion. Both the trial court and the appellate court ruled in favor of Louis Vuitton, finding that the remodeling exceeded permissible repair and amounted to trademark infringement. The operator appealed, sending the case to the Supreme Court. In a key appellate ruling, the Patent Court held that refurbished luxury bags qualify as independent “goods” in the marketplace due to their substantial resale value, particularly in the active secondary luxury market. The court ordered the operator to pay 15 million won ($11,500) in damages to Louis Vuitton and issued an injunction barring further use of the brand’s trademark. “Refurbished products hold significant value on the secondary market, just as the original items do, giving them independent value as products,” the court said. It added that because the Louis Vuitton mark remained visible without any indication that the items had been reworked or recycled, average consumers could be misled into believing the products were original Louis Vuitton items — constituting unauthorized trademark use. The court distinguished minimal repairs, which do not create new products, from substantial changes in size, design or structure. In this case, it found that dismantling handbags and reassembling them into wallets or differently shaped bags resulted in entirely new products, beyond the scope of trademark exhaustion. Between 2017 and 2021, the operator used Louis Vuitton materials provided by clients to create custom bags and wallets in various sizes and designs, charging between 100,000 and 700,000 won per item. Louis Vuitton filed suit in February 2022, seeking a ban and 30 million won in damages, arguing that the practice diluted brand identity and quality guarantees. The case will mark the sixth time the Supreme Court has convened a public hearing in a matter handled by a small panel rather than the full bench, highlighting the court’s growing use of public hearings in cases with broad social and economic implications. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-18 13:01:45

OPINION: Massive data breaches expose urgent need for stronger security and accountability SEOUL, December 5 (AJP) - In early 2026, a man received a phone call from an unknown caller who appeared to know every detail about him, including his home address, online habits, and shopping patterns. This incident shows how phishing has evolved from random attacks to highly targeted schemes that exploit detailed personal information. Massive data breaches have affected millions in South Korea, involving major companies such as Coupang and SK Telecom. Similar incidents in the public sector are also on the rise, with more than 100 cases reported last year alone. Despite South Korea's technological prowess, personal data remains highly vulnerable. The maximum compensation for data breaches is usually around 100,000 Korean won per person, regardless of the extent of data leaked, as proving corporate negligence is quite challenging for victims, leading to limited accountability. The maximum compensation for data breaches is usually around 100,000 Korean won per person, regardless of the extent of the data leaked, because victims often struggle to prove corporate negligence, resulting in limited accountability. Although fines and penalties have increased recently, most victims are barely compensated. Companies often treat such breaches as a cost of doing business and face only administrative orders, with fines flowing to state coffers rather than victims. To address this issue, punitive damages must be effectively implemented. Current stringent requirements for proving intent or negligence make it difficult for individuals to succeed in lawsuits, which are particularly unsuitable for cases like large-scale data breaches. Legal systems must evolve to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing era. Coupang's latest data leak exposes serious gaps in security measures and legal compliance, even as companies continue to accumulate vast amounts of sensitive personal information. It is not just about preventing hacking or data leaks, it is about ensuring that companies invest in security measures and provide adequate compensation. Without these changes, data breaches will continue. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI. 2025-12-05 16:03:04

Chief Justice calls for thorough discussion on judicial reform SEOUL, December 3 (AJP) - The Supreme Court's Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae emphasized the need for thorough public discussion on ongoing talks for judicial reform, citing the importance of protecting citizens' rights and maintaining social order. Speaking at a luncheon with President Lee Jae Myung at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul, Cho said, "While not everyone may agree with judicial decisions, these verdicts gain legitimacy and trust through the constitutional three-tier court system." This was seen as his cautious stance toward the ruling Democratic Party (DP)’s proposals for judicial reform, including increasing the number of top court justices, as well as establishing a separate bench to review impeached former President Yoon Seok Yeol's cases. Yoon has been on trial for charges of insurrection and abuse of power related to his botched Dec. 3 declaration of martial law last year. Cho's comments on the three-tier system were interpreted as a veiled opposition to the DP's proposals for a retrial system, which many fear could delay cases or be abused to allow those with wealth or power to evade accountability. He expressed hope that the ongoing discussions would serve the public's best interests. Cho also reaffirmed the judiciary's stance that Yoon's declaration of martial law was "unconstitutional" but refrained from commenting further as relevant trials are ongoing. Cho concluded by affirming his belief in the judiciary's independence, stressing that each court would continue to deliberate and deliver rulings independently in accordance with the constitution and the law. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-03 16:42:46

Court rejects arrest warrant for PPP's former floor leader SEOUL, December 3 (AJP) - A court denied an arrest warrant for Choo Kyung-ho, the former floor leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) early Wednesday morning. The Seoul Central District Court rejected the warrant sought by prosecutors over his alleged involvement in disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law debacle in December last year, citing considerable legal disputes surrounding the charges. Choo has been accused of interfering with parliamentary efforts to lift the martial law declared by Yoon on Dec. 3 by repeatedly changing locations to prevent lawmakers from voting for it. The court said Choo has been cooperating with the investigation into the debacle and that there is no risk of flight or evidence tampering. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-03 08:43:44