Kim Keon Hee Nears the End of Her Detention; Special Counsel Seeks Additional Warrant in ‘Bribery-for-Appointments’ Case

[Financial News] With Kim Keon Hee’s detention period nearing its end, the special prosecutor team has asked the Supreme Court to issue an additional detention warrant. The aim is to keep her in custody by obtaining a separate warrant in the so-called “bribery-for-appointments” case.
The Kim Keon Hee Special Prosecutor Team (Special Counsel Min Joung-kie) said on the 15th that it had submitted a request asking the Supreme Court, which received the case involving Ms. Kim’s alleged violations of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Crimes, including taking bribes for arranging favors, to issue an additional detention warrant ex officio.
The special prosecutor team explained, “As the end of Ms. Kim’s detention period approaches, there is a need to keep her in custody.”
The bribery-for-appointments case concerns allegations that Ms. Kim was indicted for accepting valuables, including expensive jewelry and paintings, and using her influence over personnel appointments and candidate nominations. On the 22nd of last month, Ms. Kim was sentenced to five years in prison on appeal. Both the special counsel and Ms. Kim’s side appealed to the Supreme Court, and the case was docketed there, but it has not yet been assigned to a regular panel.
The Supreme Court is currently reviewing in a full-bench hearing the case involving allegations against Ms. Kim, including participating in stock-price manipulation at Deutsche Motors, receiving free opinion polls provided by Myung Tae-kyun, and accepting valuables from the Unification Church. The detention period under the warrant issued in that case is set to expire on the 31st.
The special prosecutor team is understood to have concluded that it needs to obtain an additional detention warrant in the bribery-for-appointments case, which is proceeding separately on appeal before the Supreme Court. Under the Criminal Procedure Act, detention in a single case is limited to six months at each level of court, but an additional warrant may be issued if grounds for detention are established in a separate case.
The Supreme Court is expected to review the special prosecutor team’s request and decide whether to issue an additional detention warrant. If no additional warrant is issued and the existing detention period expires, Ms. Kim could be released.
However, Ms. Kim is also standing trial at first instance in separate cases over allegations that she was involved in the mass enrollment of Unification Church followers in the People Power Party (in violation of the Political Parties Act) and improperly intervened in the relocation of the presidential residence (abuse of power). The possibility remains that separate detention warrants could be issued in those cases.
 



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