Kim Keon-hee special counsel appeals first-instance ruling in lawyer law case against Lee Jong-ho, calling sentence too light

The special prosecutor’s office investigating allegations involving First Lady Kim Keon-hee has appealed the first-instance prison sentence handed down to former Black Pearl Invest CEO Lee Jong-ho, who is known as her account manager. The defendant also filed an appeal on the same day, meaning the case will be contested again at the appellate court.
On the 19th, the Kim Keon-hee special prosecutor’s team, led by Special Prosecutor Min Joong-ki, announced that it had submitted a notice of appeal to Criminal Division 23 of the Seoul Central District Court, presided over by Judge Oh Se-yong. The special prosecutor’s office argued that the first-instance court had recognized most of the indictment as proven but wrongly acquitted Lee on part of the alleged cash payments, and that, despite his denial of wrongdoing, it imposed only a one-year-and-six-month prison term. Citing these points, it raised claims of factual misapprehension, misinterpretation of the law, and an unduly lenient sentence as grounds for appeal.
Earlier, on the 13th, the trial court sentenced Lee to one year and six months in prison and ordered the forfeiture of 79.1 million won on charges of violating the Attorney-at-Law Act. Lee had argued that this case did not fall within the mandate of the special prosecutor and sought a dismissal of the indictment, but the court rejected this, finding that the offense was discovered in the course of an investigation authorized under the special prosecutor act and therefore fell within the scope of the special counsel’s authority.
The court also dismissed the defense’s claim that the evidence had been collected unlawfully. Lee’s side argued that the special prosecutor had gathered evidence before the formal start of the investigation and that it should therefore be inadmissible. The court acknowledged that some evidence was collected during the preparation period, but found that the violation was minor and did not infringe on the essence of due process.
The court further accepted the credibility of statements by Jeongpil Lee, identified as the primary trader in the first phase of the Deutsche Motors stock-manipulation scheme. However, it acquitted Lee Jong-ho on the allegation that he received a little over 12 million won from Jeongpil Lee, saying the exact amount could not be clearly established.
In explaining the sentence, the court stated, "The defendant flaunted his connections with the president, the first lady, the head of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, and judges, and repeatedly received money under the pretext of influencing trials and investigations, which makes the nature of his crime particularly bad." The court added, "He spent a substantial portion of the money he obtained on personal entertainment, such as drinking with people unrelated to the alleged lobbying, which makes him highly blameworthy, yet he has consistently offered implausible excuses."
From June 2022 to February 2023, Lee was indicted and detained on charges of receiving about 81 million won from Jeongpil Lee after promising to secure a suspended sentence in the Deutsche Motors stock-manipulation case, saying in effect that he would "speak to then-President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife to make sure a suspended sentence is handed down."
scottchoi15@fnnews.com Choi Eun-sol Reporter