Judge Shin Jong-o of the Seoul High Court, who handled the appeals trial in cases including first lady Kim Keon-hee's alleged Deutsch Motors stock manipulation, was found dead early on the 6th near the Seoul High Court building.
According to the legal community, around 12:20 a.m. that day, Judge Shin's family reported to police that they could not reach him.
Police and firefighters found Judge Shin at the Seoul High Court building around 1 a.m. that day and transported him to a hospital. A suicide note was also reportedly found at the scene.
Police are investigating the exact cause of death. No criminal suspicion was found. The suicide note reportedly did not contain information that would suggest the circumstances behind the death.
The Seoul High Court's Criminal Division 15-2, presided over by Judge Shin, on the 28th sentenced Kim to four years in prison in the second trial over the Deutsch Motors stock manipulation case and allegations of receiving funds from the Unification Church. As some stock manipulation charges that had been acquitted in the first trial were overturned to guilty, the sentence increased from one year and eight months in the first trial.
※ If you are struggling with depression or other difficult concerns, or if a family member or acquaintance around you is facing such difficulties, you can receive 24-hour counseling from a professional via the suicide prevention hotline 109 or SNS counseling Madlan (www.129.go.kr/etc/madlan).