People Power Party lawmaker Kim Ki-hyun and his spouse, indicted on charges of providing a Roger Vivier clutch worth about 2.6 million won to Kim Keon-hee, denied the indictment at their first preparatory hearing. The court said it would hold one more preparatory hearing on Mar. 27 to narrow the issues.
The Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 22 (Presiding Judge Cho Hyeong-woo) on the 11th held a preparatory hearing in the case of Representative Kim and his spouse, who were indicted on charges of violating the anti-graft law, and discussed both sides' plans for proof. A preparatory hearing is a procedure to organize issues and evidence before the full trial, and the defendant is not required to appear.
Representative Kim and his spouse said they deny the indictment. The attorney acknowledged that Kim's spouse, Lee, prepared a clutch worth 2.67 million won in Mar. 2023 and delivered it to the first lady, while arguing that Representative Kim did not take part in it.
They also challenged the legality of the seizure process. The attorney argued that in the Kim Keon-hee special counsel's search of the home of former President Yoon Suk-yeol and his spouse, after the clutch and a thank-you letter were found, the search was halted and a new warrant was obtained, and because the items may have been found during a search that exceeded the scope of the initial warrant, their admissibility as evidence could be at issue.
According to the indictment, Representative Kim and his spouse are accused of providing a clutch to the first lady on Mar. 17, 2023, in return for support in the party leader election on Mar. 8. The special counsel applied the charge on grounds including that the payment was withdrawn from Representative Kim's parliamentary salary account, viewing it as provided in connection with presidential duties, while Representative Kim has acknowledged the gift but argued it was a matter of "social courtesy" and that there was no improper solicitation.