Former Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim Sang-min, who was indicted on charges including receiving proxy payments for an election vehicle while preparing to run in a National Assembly election, received a suspended prison sentence in the first trial. However, Kim was acquitted of the charge that he handed painter Lee Ufan's work to first lady Kim Keon-hee's side and sought a party nomination.
The Criminal Agreement Division 21 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Lee Hyun-bok) on Jan. 9 sentenced former Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim to six months in prison, suspended for one year, for violating the Political Funds Act and the anti-graft law, and ordered the forfeiture of a little over 41.39 million won.
On the anti-graft charge, the court said it found no direct or indirect evidence that Kim delivered or handed over the painting to the first lady, and acquitted Kim on that count.
Around Feb. 2023, former Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim was indicted on charges of handing over Lee Ufan's work "From Point No.800298," valued at about 140 million won, to the first lady and seeking appointments to public office and a general election nomination. The work was found during a search of the home of Kim's mother-in-law.
Special Counsel Kim Keon-hee (Special Prosecutor Min Joong-ki) maintained that the work went up for auction at a Taiwanese auction house in Jun. 2022 with a starting price of 2.2 million won and was sold for about 30 million won, and that after several intermediations, former Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim bought it and it was delivered to the first lady's side.
While preparing to run in the 2024 general election, former Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim also faces a charge of violating the Political Funds Act for allegedly receiving proxy payments for an election vehicle from a person surnamed Park, known as "Jonber Kim" or "coin king."
At the sentencing hearing, the special counsel sought three years in prison for the anti-graft violation and three years for the Political Funds Act violation, for a total of six years, and also requested the forfeiture of about 40 million won.