Kim Keon Hee, who was indicted over alleged Deutsche Motors stock manipulation and receiving valuables tied to the Unification Church, was sentenced on appeal to four years in prison.
The Seoul High Court’s Criminal Division 15-2 on Monday sentenced Kim, who was indicted in custody, to four years in prison and a 50 million won fine for violations of the Capital Markets Act and the Political Funds Act, and for bribery for influence-peddling under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes. The court also ordered the forfeiture of one Graff necklace and about 20.94 million won in additional collection.
The panel said the crimes were serious, citing damage to “fairness in the stock market and investor trust.”
Unlike the first trial, the court found part of the Deutsche Motors stock manipulation charge proven. It said Kim provided a securities account containing 2 billion won and entrusted trading, and that she sold 180,000 shares at a specific time and price, recognizing her participation in price manipulation.
On the Unification Church-related allegations, the court found the influence-peddling charge fully proven, going beyond the first trial’s partial guilty finding. It said Kim accepted money and valuables while recognizing an implicit request.
However, as in the first trial, the court acquitted Kim of allegations tied to Myung Tae-kyun involving free polling services. The panel said the polls were provided to multiple people, making it difficult to view them as a property benefit.
Kim’s lawyers said after the ruling that they intend to appeal to the Supreme Court.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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