Kim Geon-hee, the wife of President Yoon Suk Yeol, has had her sentence reduced in an appeal related to corruption charges involving high-priced gifts received during the Yoon administration.
On September 22, the Seoul High Court's Criminal Division 15-3, presided over by judges Seong Eon-joo, Won Ik-seon, and Lee Hee-jun, overturned the original seven-year sentence for Kim and instead imposed a five-year prison term for violations of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (bribery).
The court also ordered the confiscation of valuable items, including a genuine painting by Lee Ufan, a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace, and a Tiffany & Co. brooch, along with a fine of 24.4 million won.
Unlike the first trial, the appellate court found Kim not guilty of receiving a Vacheron Constantin watch worth 39.9 million won from businessman Seo Seong-bin. The court stated, "It is difficult to completely dismiss the defendant's claim that Seo merely facilitated the purchase of the watch, and it has not been proven that Kim was aware it was a reward for business facilitation."
The court further noted, "There is little evidence to suggest that Seo was pursuing business with the Presidential Security Service around the time the watch was received," and criticized the special prosecutor's claims regarding their relationship as mere speculation.
Regarding the receipt of a replica of a Sehan-do painting worth 500,000 won from former National Education Commission Chairman Lee Bae-yong, the court ruled that the purpose of soliciting favors was not proven, suggesting it may have been given for promotional purposes by the foundation where Lee served as chairman.
However, the court upheld the guilty verdicts for Kim's receipt of a Van Cleef necklace and Tiffany brooch, valued at 103.8 million won, from Lee Bong-kwan, chairman of Seohee Construction, under the pretext of soliciting favors for her son-in-law, former Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister Park Seong-geun.
Convictions were also maintained for receiving a Dior bag worth 5.4 million won from Pastor Choi Jae-young, a gold turtle worth 2.15 million won from Lee Bae-yong, and a painting by Lee Ufan worth 140 million won from former chief prosecutor Kim Sang-min, all under the guise of soliciting favors.
The court criticized the case as one where the influence of a presidential spouse has devolved into private transactions, severely undermining public trust in national policies and appointments. It stated, "The defendant has forgotten her position and repeatedly accepted gifts without hesitation."
However, the court acknowledged the reversal of some charges and noted Kim's reflection on her inappropriate conduct in its sentencing considerations.
Immediately following the ruling, Kim's legal team announced plans to appeal to the Supreme Court, expressing disagreement with the guilty findings.
In a statement, they emphasized, "In criminal trials, the social evaluation of a defendant's conduct should be distinguished from criminal responsibility, and the elements of the bribery charge should not be established solely on assumptions or circumstantial evidence. We will thoroughly analyze the ruling and contest the legal misunderstandings and sentencing issues in the appeal process."
The special prosecutor's team, led by Min Jung-ki, also expressed disappointment after the ruling, stating, "It is regrettable that the public may not accept the judgment that a first lady receiving a luxury watch worth millions from a businessman with ongoing issues is not a crime. We will review the specifics in the ruling and seek to rectify this in the Supreme Court."
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.