Charged with Capital Markets Act Violations
Assigned to the 27th Criminal Division of Seoul Central District Court
Exercised Right to Remain Silent During Special Prosecutor’s Investigation
Kim’s Legal Team: "Will Attend All Court Sessions"
Kim Gunhee, who has been indicted and detained on charges including stock price manipulation, interference in party nominations, and solicitation involving the Unification Church, is set to begin her trial in earnest. Although she exercised her right to remain silent during most of the interrogations by Special Prosecutor Min Jungki's team, she is expected to fully deny the charges and actively defend herself in court. This stands in stark contrast to former President Yoon Sukyeol, who has consistently maintained a strategy of endurance both during his retrial as the leader of an insurrection and throughout the special prosecutor’s investigation after being re-detained.
Kim Gunhee, spouse of former President Yoon Sukyeol, is leaving the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 12th after completing the pre-arrest detention hearing on charges of violating the Capital Markets Act, bribery solicitation, and the Political Funds Act, and is heading to Seoul Southern Detention Center. 2025.08.12 Photo by Joint Press Corps
According to the legal community on the 3rd, the Seoul Central District Court has assigned Kim's case, which involves violations of the Capital Markets Act and other charges, to the 27th Criminal Division (Presiding Judge Woo Inseong) of the Seoul Central District Court. The date for the first hearing has not yet been set.
Except for her initial pre-arrest interrogation, Kim exercised her right to remain silent during five subsequent summonses. This is interpreted as a strategy to focus on the trial rather than the investigation, given the assessment that indictment was inevitable.
However, in a statement released from detention immediately after her indictment, she said, "I will not turn away from the path before me and will quietly face the trial." Her attorney told Asia Economy, "Except for the preparatory hearings, which do not require her presence, she will attend all court sessions," adding, "Since she cannot admit to acts she did not commit, her position is to deny the charges overall."
The legal community interprets this as a "calculated strategy." A former prosecutor-turned-attorney explained, "In former President Yoon's case, he faces a possible death sentence, so there is nothing to lose. In Kim's case, however, the statutory sentence could range from three to ten years. Presenting an appearance of cooperation with the process is a textbook strategy, taking into account the court's sentencing considerations."
However, it remains uncertain whether Kim's defensive strategy will be maintained throughout the entire trial. The special prosecutor's team stated that, regarding the Deutsche Motors case, "We have secured substantial evidence that Kim was not merely a nominal investor but was involved in a conspiracy." The intensity and scope of evidence disclosure are expected to determine whether her legal strategy will be adjusted going forward.
Meanwhile, on the same day, the court dismissed arrest warrants for three individuals, including Cho Youngtak, CEO of IMS Mobility, who were implicated in the so-called "Butler Gate" scandal, stating that "there is insufficient explanation for the necessity of detention." With the special prosecutor's team failing to secure custody of these suspects, it is expected that the momentum of the investigation will inevitably be affected going forward.
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