Kim Keon Hee Denies Charges on Appeal in Alleged Favor-for-Favors Case... Aide Says She Bought 10 Million Won Tea Set Out of Pocket

[Financial News] Kim Keon Hee, who was indicted on charges of receiving valuables and influence peddling requests, denied the allegations at her appeals trial. Her former aide testified as a witness and said she bought tableware for the presidential residence with her own money.
The 15-3 Criminal Division of the Seoul High Court, presided over by judges Sung Eon-ju, Won Ik-seon and Lee Heejoon, held the first hearing of Kim's appeal on the charge of receiving brokerage fees under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Economic Crimes on the 26th.
Kim denied the charges. Her lawyer said, "Lee Bong-gwan, chairman of Seohee Construction, testified that he only gave the gifts out of a vague hope of maintaining a good relationship with the new administration," adding, "The gold turtle and the replica of 'The Ten Long Years' that she received from former National Education Commission Chairperson Lee Bae-yong were also nothing more than customary exchanges based on personal ties."
The lawyer added, "As the spouse of the president, I deeply regret my careless conduct, including failing to fulfill my duty and accepting some gifts."
Meanwhile, Jung Ji-won, Kim's former aide at the Presidential Office, appeared as a witness at the hearing. She was called at Kim's request to help prove that an expensive watch Kim received from businessman Seo Sung-bin was not payment for a business favor.
When the defense asked, "Is it true that Choi Eun-sun provided the defendant with 5 million to 10 million won in cash each month for living expenses after Yoon Suk Yeol stepped down as Prosecutor General of South Korea?" Jung answered, "Yes." She also testified that Kim later paid Seo for the watch using those living expenses and cash she had on hand.
Jung also explained that, at Kim's request, she paid 1.47 million won for a vase in December 2022 and 13.25 million won for a set of dishes in January the following year with her own card, then was reimbursed in cash by Kim.
Regarding the background to Kim's purchase of the expensive vase, she said, "At the time, the residence was receiving a lot of flower arrangements every week, and Kim had separately learned flower arranging, so she needed a vase that fit."
On the purchase of the 10 million won-class tableware, she said, "When foreign dignitaries visited, tea and refreshments had to be served, but the dishes at the residence were made in the 1980s and were not befitting the country's status." She added, "Kim thought she should prepare proper tableware for a state tea, even if she had to pay for it herself, so we went to a department store together and bought it."
Jung testified that Kim asked not only her and Seo, but also another former aide, Kyeong-ok Yu, and the spouse of the head of interior design firm 21 Grams to handle purchases on her behalf in the same way.
In the first trial, the court sentenced Kim to seven years in prison and ordered her to pay 64.8 million won in forfeiture on June 26. It also ordered the confiscation of a painting by Lee Ufan, one Vacheron Constantin watch, a gold turtle, earrings, a Dior bag and a brooch that were seized during the special prosecutor's investigation led by Min Joung-kie.
The court found her guilty on all charges.
Kim is accused of receiving valuables worth a total of 138.8 million won from Lee Bong-gwan, chairman of Seohee Construction, between around March 15 and May 20, 2022, in exchange for business favors and for influence peddling related to the appointment of his son-in-law, former prosecutor Park Sung-geun. The items included a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace, a Graff necklace and a Tiffany brooch, which were reportedly worn by Kim during her NATO tour.
She is also accused of receiving a gold turtle worth 2.65 million won from former National Education Commission Chairperson Lee Bae-yong between around April 26 and June 2022 in exchange for influence peddling related to her appointment. Kim was also charged over the receipt of a Vacheron Constantin watch. The special prosecutor team said she received the watch, worth 39.9 million won, from businessman Seo Sung-bin on September 8, 2022, in connection with a robot dog project for the Presidential Security Service.
Kim is also accused of receiving a painting by Lee Ufan worth 140 million won from former chief prosecutor Kim Sang-min around 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 about 5.4 million won from Rev. Abraham Choi between around June 20 and September 13, 2022, after he made requests.
[email protected] Jung Kyung-soo Reporter