Kim Yong, a former deputy head of the Democratic Research Institute known to be a close aide of President Lee Jae-myung, was released on bail on the 19th in a Supreme Court hearing regarding charges of receiving illegal political funds and bribery.
The Supreme Court's 1st Division (Chief Justice Seo Kyung-hwan) accepted the bail request of the former deputy head, who was indicted on charges of bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes and violations of the Political Funds Act. Previously, he had requested bail from the Supreme Court in April.
The bail conditions include a deposit of 50 million won and restrictions on residence. He must also appear at designated times and locations when summoned by the court, and he must receive court permission for travel lasting more than three days or for leaving the country. Additionally, he is prohibited from fleeing or destroying evidence.
The former deputy head was arrested and indicted in November 2022 on charges of violating the Political Funds Act, as he conspired with former Seongnam Urban Development Corporation planning chief Yoo Dong-kyu and attorney Jeong Min-yong between April and August 2021 to receive 847 million won in four instances from attorney Nam Wook as purported funds for the Democratic Party's presidential primary.
He is also accused of receiving 190 million won from former Deputy Minister Yoo in return for facilitating the Daejang-dong development project while serving on the Seongnam City Council's Urban Construction Committee from February 2013 to April 2014.
Previously, the first and second trial courts sentenced the former deputy head to five years in prison each and ordered his detention. The courts found him guilty of receiving 600 million won in violation of the Political Funds Act and receiving 70 million won in bribery. Both the former deputy head and the prosecution appealed the second trial ruling.
Meanwhile, this is the third time the former deputy head has requested bail from the court. He had requested bail during the first and second trial processes, and both requests were accepted, allowing him to be tried without detention.