The special counsel on Kim Keon-hee on the 30th filed an appeal against the first-instance ruling on charges including violating the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act by Ms. Kim.
The special counsel issued a statement the same day, saying, "There are illegalities due to serious factual errors and misinterpretations of law in the first-instance court's determinations on each acquittal," and, "It is the special counsel's position that the sentence imposed in the first instance on the remaining guilty counts is excessively light and thus unlawful due to an unjust sentence."
Earlier, the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Agreement Division 27 (presiding judge Woo In-seong, senior judge) on the 28th found some of the charges—violating the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act by Ms. Kim, violating the Political Funds Act, and certain violations of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (bribe for brokerage)—not guilty, recognized only the remaining guilty parts, and sentenced her to one year and eight months in prison.
The first-instance court ruled guilty, finding that Ms. Kim committed the offense of receiving a bribe for brokerage regarding a Chanel bag worth 12.71 million won received around July 5, 2022, from the Unification Church side and a diamond necklace worth 62.2 million won received around the 29th of the same month. In contrast, it acquitted her of the Chanel bag worth 8.02 million won received on Apr. 7, 2022, saying it could not be deemed money or valuables given for brokerage because there was no solicitation at the time of receipt.
The first-instance court also acquitted her of all charges related to the Deutsch Motors stock manipulation suspicion and the allegation that she received a free public opinion poll from Myeong Tae-gyun, known as a political broker. The special counsel said it would challenge these acquittals and the sentence in the appellate court.