On the 7th, First Lady Kim Keon-hee left midway after reporting a health issue during the trial over the Deutsch Motors stock manipulation case. It came right after the special counsel disclosed a KakaoTalk conversation from 13 years ago between Kim and an acquaintance, a person surnamed Lee, whom the special counsel suspects joined the Deutsch Motors stock manipulation. Lee is also known as the person who introduced fortune-teller Jeon Seong-bae, known as Geonjin Beopsa, to Kim.
The Criminal Agreement Division 27 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Woo In-seong) held a hearing on charges including violations of the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act against Kim Keon-hee, indicted by the special counsel. At the hearing, the court examined as a witness Kim Ki-hyeon, a so-called stock manipulation trader who was indicted in the Deutsch Motors stock manipulation case and received a finalized sentence of two years in prison suspended for three years.
During the witness examination, the special counsel presented a KakaoTalk conversation from Oct. 5, 2012, between Lee, who is suspected of taking part in the stock manipulation, and Kim. In the chat, Lee told Kim, "I sincerely worry about you, so there are things I can't say and can't do, but if my name is fully exposed, what happens to me. Kim Ki-hyeon knows my name. I decided to step away from Deutsch." Kim replied, "I'm someone who wants to keep secrets even more. Rather."
Based on this, the special counsel's position is that Kim knew Kim was active as a main driver of the stock manipulation. In response, Kim said, "I was introduced to Lee as a friend of Lee Jeong-pil (the primary main driver)," and "I first learned from the news that Kim and Lee knew each other."
Kim had her head deeply bowed even before questions about Lee began. When the KakaoTalk conversation with Lee was presented, she put her hand to her head. Kim's side said, "How about sending the defendant home and continuing?" and the court accepted the request.
Meanwhile, the court said it will conclude arguments on Dec. 3.