Kim Keonhee Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison in Appeal Trial Over Influence-Peddling Charges

[Anchor]

Kim Keonhee, indicted on charges of so-called "office trading" and influence peddling, has been sentenced to five years in prison by an appeals court, a reduction of two years from her sentence in the first trial. The reduction came after some of the charges regarding the acceptance of valuables were overturned as not guilty. However, the court upheld most of the remaining charges as guilty, rebuking Kim for forgetting her status and receiving valuables without hesitation.

Reporter Jang Hun-gyeong has the details.

[Reporter]

[Sung Eon-joo, High Court Judge, Criminal Division 15-3, Seoul High Court: "The defendant is sentenced to five years in prison."]

The Seoul High Court sentenced Kim Keonhee, who was put on trial on charges of mediation and influence peddling, to five years in prison.

This is two years less than the seven-year sentence handed down in the first trial. Unlike the first trial, the court acquitted her of charges including accepting a luxury watch worth approximately 39.9 million won from robot dog businessman Seo Seong-bin in exchange for business support favors, and receiving a replica of Sehando worth about 500,000 won from former National Education Commission Chairperson Lee Bae-yong.

However, the court found her guilty on other charges, including receiving luxury jewelry sets, known as the "NATO trio" worth about 100 million won, from Seohee Construction Chairman Lee Bong-gwan in exchange for personnel favors involving her eldest son-in-law, and receiving an expensive painting from former Senior Prosecutor Kim Sang-min in return for nomination favors.

The court ordered the confiscation of the expensive jewelry and paintings, as well as an additional collection of 24.4 million won, defining the case as "power-driven influence peddling."

Rebuking Kim, the court stated, "She forgot her status and accepted valuables without any hesitation," adding, "The influence of the president's spouse was reduced to a private transaction, severely undermining the transparency and fairness of state affairs as a whole."

[Sung Eon-joo, High Court Judge, Criminal Division 15-3, Seoul High Court: "The disappointment and frustration felt by the public upon witnessing the risk that state power could be exercised according to the interests of those providing money and valuables can never be healed by any means."]

Throughout the trial, Kim kept her head down and stared at the floor, only to speak with her defense counsel after the guilty and not-guilty rulings were delivered.

Immediately following the sentencing, Kim's side stated, "We will immediately appeal the guilty portions," while the special counsel's office stated, "We will decide whether to appeal after reviewing the ruling."

Chairman Lee Bong-gwan, Seo Seong-bin, and Reverend Choi Jae-young did not appeal after the first trial, finalizing their sentences. Meanwhile, former Chairperson Lee Bae-yong, who was indicted on evidence destruction charges, was sentenced to 10 months in prison suspended for two years in the appeals trial, the same as the first trial.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
(Video by: Kim Hangyul | Video Editing by: Cho Moo-hwan)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.