Former President Yoon Suk-yeol's wife, Kim Keon-hee, received a not guilty verdict in the second trial following the first trial for defamation charges.
On the 16th, the 6th Criminal Division of the Seoul High Court (Director General Jeong Jae-o, Choi Eun-jeong, Lee Ye-seul) sentenced the prosecutor Jin to not guilty on charges of violating the National Public Service Act, the Election Act, and the Information and Communications Network Act.
The court noted regarding the charges against prosecutor Jin for violating the National Public Service Act and the Election Act, "It is true that the defendant posted politically related content on social media (SNS) and made emotional expressions such as likes in the comments during the by-election period. However, it is difficult to conclude that this was a campaign with a specific purpose."
It continued regarding the defamation charges, stating, "The victim (Kim) does not directly state that she is Julie or that Julie is a prostitute," adding, "The evidence presented by the prosecution alone cannot objectively prove that the defendant intended to defame and wrote false information."
Earlier, prosecutor Jin was indicted for campaigning as a public official by posting support or criticism for a candidate belonging to a specific party on her social media ahead of the April 2021 by-election. Additionally, in September 2022, she was further indicted for defaming Kim by posting a photo of Kim on her social media with comments such as, "Is there time to be Julie? I wonder if she knows how to spell Julie."
The prosecution sought a one-year prison sentence and one-year disqualification for prosecutor Jin on the charges of violating the National Public Service Act and the Election Act, as well as six months imprisonment for the defamation charges. However, the first trial court acquitted all charges.