Kim Keon-hee took the stand as a witness in the trial of former Minister of Justice Park Seong-jae on charges including engaging in duties related to treason and, when the court asked whether former President Yoon Suk-yeol had ever mentioned martial law before or after the Dec. 3 emergency martial law, said, "Not at all." This was the first time in open court that Kim directly stated her position on martial law.
The Criminal Agreement Division 33 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Lee Jin-gwan, senior judge) on the 13th conducted a witness examination of Kim in the trial of former Minister Park on charges of engaging in duties related to treason, abuse of authority, and violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act. Kim appeared in court that day and answered questions from the special counsel, the defense, and the bench.
In the court's direct examination, when asked, "Has former President Yoon ever spoken to the witness about martial law?" Kim answered, "No." When the court followed up, "Not before or after the martial law?" she said, "Not at all." She also answered "No" to whether she was involved in the process of appointing former Minister Park.
By contrast, when the special counsel asked about her personal ties with former Minister Park and whether there had been any contact related to the Dior bag bribery suspicion, Kim refused to testify on most points. However, to the question of whether she had received or relayed any briefing related to the first round of prosecutorial appointments after former Minister Park took office, she briefly said, "Not at all." In the cross-examination by former Minister Park's side, when asked whether she had ever visited former Minister Park's home during his tenure at the Daegu High Prosecutors' Office, she said, "I have no idea at all."
When the special counsel presented the written judgment in the case of Jeon Seong-bae's solicitation bribery and pressed about the relationships among Kim, former Minister Park, and former President Yoon, Kim at times reacted emotionally in court. As testimony emerged to the effect that former President Yoon had not mentioned martial law in advance, a remaining variable in the trial is how far the special counsel can establish links involving Kim and former President Yoon, separate from former Minister Park's alleged involvement in treason.
The court was also set to continue in the afternoon with witness examinations of former Ministry of Justice Criminal Affairs Bureau Director Kwon Sun-jung and former Supreme Prosecutors' Office Criminal Division 1 Chief Lee Jun-ho. Former Minister Park's case is intertwined with issues including the dispatch of prosecutors to the Joint Investigation Headquarters during the Dec. 3 emergency martial law, orders to secure accommodation space in correctional facilities, and alleged requests to influence investigations related to Kim.