Ex-first lady Kim Keon Hee sits in the defendant’s seat in historic first

At 2:12 p.m. on September 24, the sound of camera shutters filled courtroom 311 at a court in southern Seoul. Former first lady Kim Keon Hee entered wearing a navy suit with a badge marked “4398” on her jacket, a white mask and black-rimmed glasses. She sat in the defendant’s seat — the first time in Korean history that a former president’s spouse has done so.

It was the first hearing in Kim’s trial, held by the Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court on charges that include violations of the Capital Market Act.

She was indicted and remains in custody on suspicion of stock manipulation involving Deutsche Motors, receiving illicit polling services from a political broker to sway a party nomination and taking bribes connected to the Unification Church.

The court allowed photographers just one minute to capture Kim’s entrance before the proceedings began.

“The defendant is a widely known public figure, and to satisfy the public’s right to know, we allowed filming within the minimum scope that does not infringe upon the presumption of innocence,” the judge explained.

Kim left the Seoul Detention Center by prison van at 12:35 p.m. and arrived at the courthouse at 1:25 p.m. She entered through the detention waiting room, accompanied by correctional officers.

Wearing a navy jacket and trousers with a white shirt, she tied her hair back and pinned the badge with her inmate number on her lapel. Under Korean law, detainees awaiting trial are permitted to wear civilian clothing instead of prison uniforms.

Inside the courtroom, Kim kept her head slightly bowed, her hands clasped in front of her, and her gaze fixed straight ahead as she walked to the defendant’s seat. Before sitting down, she briefly bowed toward the gallery.

After the allotted filming time ended, the judge ordered cameras out, and the session began. Before the courtroom settled and the hearing began, Kim spoke with her lawyers while reviewing the case materials.

‘No’ to jury trial

During questioning, Kim again declined a jury trial. She confirmed her birthplace registration in Gangnam-myeon in Yangpyeong County, Gyeonggi, and listened in silence as special counsel Kim Hyung-geun read out the charges.

The first hearing lasted 40 minutes. Her defense team denied all charges, repeating arguments made during the special counsel’s investigation.

Regarding her alleged involvement in the Deutsche Motors stock manipulation case, her lawyers said: “This was already investigated twice under previous administrations and cleared. The defendant neither conspired nor recognized any manipulation.”

On the allegations of receiving polling services from businessman Myung Tae-kyun, the defense argued she “only received opinion polls that Myung conducted for personal purposes a few times through KakaoTalk messages.”

Regarding the allegations of lobbying through a shaman on behalf of the Unification Church, Kim’s lawyers said she had “no knowledge of the lobbying and never received items.”

‘Yoon again’ 

Outside the courthouse in Seocho District, around 30 supporters of former President Yoon Suk Yeol gathered under red headbands and carrying Korean and U.S. flags. They chanted slogans such as “Yoon again” and “Stay strong, Mrs. Kim.” Reporters and members of the public filled nearly all 100 gallery seats.

Kim faces three sets of charges. Prosecutors accuse her of taking 810 million won ($580,000) in illicit gains through a Deutsche Motors stock manipulation scheme from 2010 to 2012. She also faces charges of violating the Political Funds Act for allegedly receiving 270 million won worth of polling services from Myung between June 2021 and March 2022 to aid former People Power Party lawmaker Kim Young-sun’s nomination, and of accepting 82.93 million won in valuables, including a Graff necklace, in connection with lobbying for the Unification Church in collusion with shaman Jeon Seong-bae, who also went by the name Geonjin.

BY CHOI SEO-IN [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr]