Indicted and Detained on the 29th of Last Month...
Trial Begins on the 24th
Special Prosecutor to Summon Kim on the 25th
Lee Ufan Painting Identified as Bribe to Kim Keonhee
Kim's Legal Team: "She Will Attend Both Trial and Special Prosecutor's Summons"
Photos and videos of Kim Keonhee, who has been brought to trial on charges including stock price manipulation, intervention in party nominations, and soliciting favors from the Unification Church, sitting in the defendant's seat inside the courtroom will be released by the media. Kim's legal team has stated that she will attend the first trial scheduled for the 24th.
Kim Keonhee, wife of former President Yoon Seokyeol, who is accused of violating the Capital Markets and Financial Investment Business Act, the Political Funds Act, and the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (receiving bribes), is attending a pretrial detention hearing at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the morning of August 12, 2025. Photo by Joint Press Corps
On the 22nd, the 27th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Woo Inseong) announced that it has approved media requests to photograph the courtroom during Kim's first trial session on the 24th.
According to Supreme Court regulations on courtroom attendance and photography, photography is limited to before the start of the trial. The court explained, "To maintain order and security in the courtroom and to ensure smooth photography, filming is only permitted in pre-designated locations after prior consultation. Once the presiding judge declares the end of photography, all filming must cease, and photographers must comply with instructions to leave the courtroom."
Previously, the special prosecutor team led by Min Junggi, which is investigating various allegations against Kim, indicted her while she was in custody on the 29th of last month. Kim faces charges of participating as a financier in the Deutsche Motors stock manipulation case, intervening in party nominations after receiving free polling services from political broker Myung Taegyun, and soliciting favors from the Unification Church and receiving an expensive necklace through Jeon Seongbae, known as Geonjin Bopsa. The special prosecutor's team has summoned her for questioning five times since her detention, but Kim has refused to make statements in most cases.
Kim has decided to attend the trial without adopting a 'stalling' strategy. Her attorney announced to the press, "Kim Keonhee will attend both the first trial session at 2:10 p.m. on the 24th and the special prosecutor's summons at 10:00 a.m. on the 25th." Immediately after her indictment, Kim released a statement from detention, saying, "I will not turn away from the path before me and will quietly face the trial."
Special Prosecutor to Summon Kim Keonhee for Bribery Allegations on the 25th
Kim also plans to comply with the special prosecutor's summons for questioning. The special prosecutor's team announced that Kim will be summoned as a bribery suspect on the 25th in connection with allegations that she received an expensive painting from former Deputy Prosecutor Kim Sangmin in return for supporting his nomination in the general election. This is the first time Kim will be summoned since her indictment and detention on the 29th of last month.
The special prosecutor's team is expected to question her in detail about the "nomination solicitation" allegations involving former prosecutor Kim. Kim Sangmin is accused of purchasing Lee Ufan's painting "From Point No. 800298" for 140 million won and delivering it to Kim's brother, Kim Jinwoo, while allegedly soliciting support for his nomination in the general election last April. The arrest warrant for former prosecutor Kim specifically names Kim Keonhee as the recipient of the painting.
Former prosecutor Kim has denied the charges, stating, "I only mediated the purchase of the painting at Mr. Kim's request." However, on the 18th, the court issued an arrest warrant for Kim, citing concerns about destruction of evidence, as requested by the special prosecutor's team.
With former prosecutor Kim now in custody, the special prosecutor's team questioned Mr. Kim as a reference witness on the 19th and plans to question Kim Keonhee, identified as the recipient of the painting, on the 25th, which is expected to accelerate the investigation into the allegations.
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