Stock Manipulation, Nomination Interference, and Bribery Allegations
Trial to Begin Immediately Without Pretrial Hearing
Unprecedented: Former President and First Lady Face Trial Together
The trial of Kim Gunhee, who has been indicted over allegations including the manipulation of Deutsch Motors stock prices, involvement in the nomination process with Myung Taegyun, and solicitation through Geonjin Beopsa, will begin on the 24th.
Kim Gunhee, wife of former President Yoon Sukyeol, who is accused of violating the Capital Markets and Financial Investment Services Act, the Political Funds Act, and the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (Bribery Mediation), is leaving the courtroom after the pretrial detention hearing at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on August 12, 2025. Photo by Joint Press Corps
According to the legal community on September 10, the 27th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Woo Inseong) has scheduled the first trial date for Kim Gunhee’s case-on charges of violating the Capital Markets Act, the Political Funds Act, and the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (accepting bribes)-for 2:10 p.m. on the 24th.
Typically, for large and complex cases, a pretrial preparation date is set to organize the issues and establish plans for evidence. However, the panel in charge of Kim Gunhee’s case proceeded directly to scheduling a trial date. While the defendant is not required to attend a pretrial preparation hearing, attendance is mandatory on the trial date.
The special prosecutor’s team led by Min Jungki, which is investigating the allegations against Kim Gunhee, indicted her while she was in custody on July 29. This marks the first time in history that a First Lady has been indicted and detained.
Kim Gunhee is accused of: ▲ participating as a principal financier in the Deutsch Motors stock price manipulation case; ▲ accepting free public opinion polling services from political broker Myung Taegyun and intervening in the nomination process; ▲ and, through Jeon Seongbae, known as Geonjin Beopsa, soliciting favors for the Unification Church and accepting expensive necklaces. The special prosecutor’s team conducted five rounds of questioning after her detention, but Kim Gunhee mostly refused to testify.
Specifically, Kim Gunhee is alleged to have colluded with former Deutsch Motors Chairman Kwon Osu and former Black Pearl Invest CEO Lee Jongho to manipulate Deutsch Motors stock prices between October 2010 and December 2012, obtaining illicit gains totaling 810 million won.
She is also accused of conspiring with former President Yoon Seokyeol during the last presidential election period (June 2021 to March 2022) to receive a total of 58 free public opinion polls from Myung Taegyun, valued at 270 million won.
Additionally, the special prosecutor’s team suspects that between April and July 2022, Kim Gunhee received requests regarding church matters through Jeon Seongbae and accepted valuables from the Unification Church, including a Chanel bag worth 8.02 million won, another Chanel bag worth 12.71 million won, and a Graff necklace worth 62.2 million won.
Upon indictment, the special prosecutor’s team also requested the preservation of assets totaling 1.03 billion won to prevent Kim Gunhee from disposing of criminal proceeds at her discretion.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
