First lady Kim Keon-hee will appear as a witness in the trial over allegations that former President Yoon Suk-yeol received free opinion polls. This is the first time Yoon and Kim will face each other in court since they were detained again.
The Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 33 (presiding Judge Lee Jin-gwan, Director General judge) will hold a hearing at 10 a.m. on the 14th for Yoon, who has been indicted on charges of violating the Political Funds Act, and for Myung Tae-gyun. At the hearing, testimony is scheduled for former Future Korea Research Institute head Kim Tae-yeol and for Kim.
Prosecutors said Yoon, in collusion with Kim, received free opinion polling worth 270 million won from Myung from June 2021 to March 2022. Myung has been charged with providing free opinion polls to the Yoon couple during the same period. Prosecutors said that, in return, influence was exercised over nominations in the 2022 National Assembly by-election. Yoon and Myung both deny the charges.
Attention is on how far Kim will actually answer. At an earlier hearing, Yoon's side said Kim could exercise the right to remain silent even if she appears in court. The court at the time said the duty to appear and the issue of refusing to testify are separate. In legal circles, there is speculation that even if Kim appears, she is unlikely to answer key questions.
Meanwhile, Kim was acquitted at the first trial in the same case over allegedly receiving opinion polls. The court at the time acknowledged that opinion polls from Myung's side were delivered but said it was difficult to conclude that Kim directly requested them or obtained a property benefit.