Court Partially Allows Broadcast of Kim Keon-hee’s Trial... Limited to Before Documentary Evidence Examination

[Financial News] The court has partially approved the special prosecutor team’s (led by Min Joong-ki) request to broadcast Kim Keon-hee’s trial.
On the 19th, Criminal Agreement Division 27 of the Seoul Central District Court, presided over by Insung Woo, continued the trial of Kim Keon-hee, who faces charges of violating the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act (FSCMA), the Political Funds Act, and bribery for mediation under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes.
The court partially granted the special prosecutor team’s request, filed on the 17th, to allow a broadcast of the trial. Previously, the special prosecutor team announced, "To ensure the public’s right to know, we have requested permission to broadcast the trial limited to the documentary evidence examination on the 19th and the defendant examination on the 3rd of next month." According to Article 10, Paragraph 4 of the Special Prosecutor Act, the court must allow broadcasting unless there are special circumstances when requested by the special prosecutor or the defendant.
The court explained, "If broadcasting is permitted, the constitutional value of the public’s right to know for the public interest must be guaranteed," but also emphasized, "The defendant’s honor and the presumption of innocence must be equally protected." The court added, "Considering that the defendant’s right to rebuttal is not guaranteed during the documentary evidence examination, the broadcast will only be allowed until that stage."
With this approval, Kim Keon-hee is expected to appear in public for the first time in over two months since September.
Meanwhile, the court has completed part of the documentary evidence examination related to the 'Myung Tae-gyun nomination interference allegations' involving Kim Keon-hee. The remaining examination will continue in the afternoon session.
theknight@fnnews.com Jung Kyung-soo Reporter