Court Approves Live Broadcast of Kim Keon-hee’s First-Instance Sentencing on the 26th

[Financial News] The court has approved a live broadcast of the first-instance sentencing for Kim Keon-hee, who is accused of influence peddling and bribery.
According to the legal community on the 23rd, Criminal Division 21 of the Seoul Central District Court, presided over by Judge Cho Soon-pyo, approved a live broadcast of the sentencing for Kim, who faces charges including receiving bribes in connection with the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Crimes, for the 26th.
The court granted broadcast requests from the Kim Keon Hee Special Prosecutor Team and broadcasters. Video captured with the court’s own equipment will be transmitted to broadcasters in real time. Recorded footage will also be distributed after the sentencing. In the past, the court has allowed live broadcasts of sentencing in some high-profile cases in the public interest.
Kim is accused of receiving jewelry worth a total of 103.8 million won from Lee Bong-gwan, chairman of SEOHEE CONSTRUCTION, between around March 15 and May 20, 2022, in exchange for business favors and personnel requests involving his son-in-law, former prosecutor Park Sung-geun. The jewelry included a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace, a Graff necklace and a Tiffany brooch, and is said to be the jewelry she wore during her NATO tour.
She is also charged with receiving a gold turtle worth 2.65 million won from Lee Bae-yong, former chairperson of the National Education Commission, between around April 26 and June 2022, in exchange for a personnel favor related to her appointment to the post. Kim is also accused of receiving a Vacheron Constantin watch. The special counsel team said Kim received the watch, worth 39.9 million won, from businessman Seo Seong-bin on Sept. 8, 2022, in connection with a bid for a robot dog project for the Presidential Security Service.
Kim is also accused of receiving a painting by artist Lee U-hwan, worth 140 million won, from former chief prosecutor Kim Sang-min in February 2023, ahead of the 22nd general election, in return for a request for a nomination. She is further accused of receiving Dior bags and other items worth a total of 5.4 million won from Pastor Choi Jae between around June 20 and Sept. 13, 2022, after he made a request.
The special counsel team requested a seven-year-and-six-month prison sentence for Kim.

theknight@fnnews.com Jung Kyung-soo Reporter