The first trial court for Kim Keon-hee's "Deutsch Motors stock manipulation, nomination interference by Myung Tae-gyun, and solicitation by Geonjin-bubsa" said on the 5th it will hold a closing argument hearing on the 26th. Considering that verdicts are usually scheduled a month after closing arguments, the first-trial ruling for Kim is also expected next month.
The Criminal Division 27 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Woo In-sung) held Kim's sixth hearing from 10:10 a.m. on charges including violating the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act. The court said, "We plan to finish all witness examinations scheduled through the 14th, and after hearing final statements on the 26th, it seems we can conclude the proceedings."
At the hearing, the special counsel and Kim's side clashed over alleged matched orders related to Deutsch Motors. The special counsel said Kim placed buy orders knowing the sell volume in advance. Presenting Kim's stock transaction records at the time, the special counsel said, "When a buy order for 23,000 shares went in, sell volume for 30,000 shares appeared 40 seconds later."
A securities firm employee surnamed Park, who managed Kim's account, also appeared as a witness and said, "I did not place orders at my own discretion; I remember there were instructions from Kim."
Kim's side then said in cross-examination, "You said it was unusual, but given Kim's tendencies, aggressive buy orders were not entirely absent, were they?" and added, "It is reasonable to see that you placed orders according to Kim's intention." Park said, "I don't remember precisely, but yes."
At the hearing on the 14th, two former presidential office administrators, Yu Kyung-ok and Jeong Ji-won, who are Kim's closest aides, were summoned as witnesses. In response, the special counsel said it would consider applying for a broadcast of the defendant examination procedure to be conducted before the close of proceedings. Kim's side said, "We strongly oppose it," adding, "It doesn't seem like this is about trying to humiliate now." The court said it would receive and review a written opinion from the special counsel.
Meanwhile, before the hearing began, Kim for the first time acknowledged that she received two Chanel bags as gifts from Jeon Seong-bae, known as Geonjin-bubsa, on two occasions. However, she said it was unrelated to a Unification Church solicitation and that she never received a Graff necklace. She also said she initially refused but accepted the gifts after Jeon persuaded her and later returned them. Chanel employees were scheduled to testify in the afternoon, but after Kim acknowledged receiving the Chanel bags, the hearing concluded without their testimony.