Special Counsel Appeals Acquittal of Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon Over Luxury Bag Gift to Kim Keon-hee

The independent counsel team led by Special Counsel Min Joong-ki has appealed the first-instance acquittal of People Power Party Representative Kim Gi-hyeon, who was indicted on charges of giving a luxury bag to Kim Keon-hee in exchange for support during the ruling party's leadership election.

According to legal circles, the special counsel team submitted an appeal to the court today (November 5), citing misapprehension of facts and legal principles regarding Rep. Kim's alleged complicity, as well as the unfairness of the sentencing handed down to Rep. Kim's spouse.

Rep. Kim's spouse, identified as A, who was found guilty in the first trial, also filed an appeal on November 4.

Previously, the 22nd Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Cho Hyung-woo) sentenced Rep. Kim to acquittal on charges of violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act on October 30, while sentencing his spouse A to a fine of 5 million won.

The special counsel team had previously demanded a one-year prison sentence for Rep. Kim and a six-month prison sentence for spouse A.

The court acknowledged as guilty the charge that Rep. Kim's wife handed a Roger Vivier clutch bag worth 2.67 million won to Kim Keon-hee on March 17, 2023, in connection with former President Yoon Suk Yeol supporting Rep. Kim in the People Power Party leadership election held on March 8 of that year.

The court also pointed out that former President Yoon had indeed exerted influence to help Rep. Kim win the leadership election at the time.

However, the court ruled that there was insufficient proof regarding Rep. Kim's alleged collusion.

The court noted that there were circumstances raising suspicions of Rep. Kim's complicity, such as the bag payment being drawn from Rep. Kim's parliamentary salary account and a sticky note printed with "People Power Party Representative Kim Gi-hyeon" being attached to the bag box, but stated that there was no objective evidence to directly prove it.

The ruling was based on the judgment that the possibility could not be excluded that spouse A delivered the bag to Kim Keon-hee directly through employees or other means without her husband's involvement.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.