A two-year prison sentence was finalized for Kim Jin-ha, the county chief of Yangyang, Gangwon, who was put on trial on charges of misconduct, including taking money and valuables from a female petitioner and having sexual relations.
The Supreme Court's First Petty Bench, presided over by Justice Chun Dae-yup, upheld the lower court ruling that sentenced County Chief Kim to two years in prison for violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act, taking bribes, and forcible molestation.
Elected public officials such as heads of local governments and local council members are stripped of their posts if a sentence of imprisonment or heavier is finalized in a criminal case. With this final ruling, County Chief Kim lost his post.
From 2018 to 2023, County Chief Kim received 20 million won in cash from a female petitioner, identified as A, who runs a pension in Yangyang, and had sexual relations with her twice. In Aug. 2021, Kim's wife also received a massage chair worth 1.38 million won at market price. In addition, in May 2022, County Chief Kim forcibly molested A by groping her breasts. In Dec. 2023, at a café in the Yangyang area, County Chief Kim also pulled down his pants in front of petitioner A.
In the first trial, County Chief Kim was sentenced to two years in prison and a fine of 10 million won, and the second trial reached the same conclusion. County Chief Kim appealed, but the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal.
In May 2024, A and Yangyang County Council member Park Bong-gyun were indicted on charges of violating the Act on the Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes for allegedly using photos taken when A had sexual relations with County Chief Kim to threaten that, unless Kim resolved A's petition, they would distribute the sexual misconduct materials to the media.
On the same day, the Supreme Court also finalized the lower court ruling that sentenced A to one year and six months in prison on charges including bribery offering and threats using recordings and the like under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes. Council member Park received a finalized sentence of one year in prison, suspended for three years.