The first trial in the case charging first lady Kim Keon-hee with receiving valuables in return for influence peddling related to public office will be held on the 17th of next month.
According to legal sources on the 26th, the Criminal Agreement Division 21 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Jo Soon-pyo) will hold the first court hearing at 10 a.m. on Mar. 17 in the case charging Kim with violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (brokerage bribery). Because defendant appearance is the principle for court hearings, attention is on whether Kim will appear.
Brokerage bribery is established when a person receives, demands, or promises money or benefits on the pretext of brokering a matter that falls within a public official's duties. The statutory penalty is up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 10 million won.
In this case, Seohee Construction Chairman Lee Bong-gwan, robot dog entrepreneur Seo Sung-bin, and Pastor Choi Jae-young were indicted together on charges of violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act, and former National Education Commission Chairperson Lee Bae-yong was brought to trial on charges of instigating destruction of evidence.
According to the indictment, from March to May 2022, Kim is accused of receiving Van Cleef & Arpels necklaces and earrings and other jewelry worth 103.8 million won from Chairman Lee in return for influencing the appointment to public office of his eldest son-in-law, attorney Park Sung-geun.
In the same year, she was also charged with receiving a gold turtle worth 2.65 million won from former Chairperson Lee in the name of seeking appointment as National Education Commission chairperson, and a Vacheron Constantin wristwatch worth 39.9 million won from Seo along with a request to support the robot dog business.
In addition, the indictment includes allegations that she received a painting by artist Lee Ufan worth 1.4 billion won along with a request for a general election nomination from former Chief Prosecutor Kim, and that she received a Dior handbag from Pastor Choi.
The special counsel investigating Kim Keon-hee considered applying bribery charges to Kim but determined it would be difficult to prove collusion with former President Yoon Suk-yeol, a public official, and indicted Kim in December last year on the charge of brokerage bribery applicable to private individuals.