Former First Lady Appears in Court for the First Time in Constitutional History
Inmate Number '4398' Displayed on Her Left Chest
When Asked About Her Occupation, She Responds, "I am unemployed"
Kim Gunhee's Side Says, "Special Prosecutor Ex
The first trial of Mrs. Kim Gunhee, who was arrested and indicted on charges including stock price manipulation, intervention in party nominations, and soliciting favors from the Unification Church, began on the 24th. Mrs. Kim entered the defendant's seat in the courtroom wearing a mask and a black suit. This marks the first time in constitutional history that a former First Lady has appeared as a defendant in court.
The first trial of Mrs. Kim Gunhee, who was arrested and indicted on charges of stock price manipulation by Deutsch Motors and allegations of receiving money from the Unification Church, was held on the afternoon of the 24th. Mrs. Kim is entering the courtroom. September 25, 2025. Photo by Joint Press Corps
The 27th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Woo Inseong) held the first hearing for Mrs. Kim at 2:10 p.m. on this day, addressing charges of violating the Capital Markets Act, the Political Funds Act, and the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (bribery for intermediation).
Mrs. Kim left the Seoul Southern Detention Center at around 12:35 p.m., arrived at the Seoul Court Complex at approximately 1:25 p.m., waited in the holding cell, and then appeared in court. At about 2:12 p.m., Mrs. Kim entered the courtroom slowly with her head bowed and her hands clasped. She wore a black suit, glasses, and a mask, with her gaze directed downward. A badge with the inmate number 4398 was pinned to the left side of her chest.
During the court's identity verification process, when asked if she was currently unemployed, Mrs. Kim replied, "I am unemployed." When asked for her date of birth, she answered, "September 2, 1972," and she stated that she did not wish to have a jury trial.
Prior to the start of the hearing, the court allowed the media to photograph Mrs. Kim as she entered the courtroom and sat at the defendant's seat.
The special prosecutor team led by Min Junggi, which has been investigating various allegations against Mrs. Kim, indicted her while in detention on August 29. Mrs. Kim faces allegations of: ▲ participating as a financier in the Deutsch Motors stock price manipulation case; ▲ intervening in party nominations after receiving free polling services from political broker Myung Taegyun; and ▲ accepting requests from the Unification Church and receiving an expensive necklace through Jeon Seongbae, known as Geonjin Bopsa.
Mrs. Kim’s side denies all charges... "The special prosecutor exaggerated by selectively presenting some evidence"
On this day, Mrs. Kim’s legal team denied all three charges. Her attorney stated, "Regarding the Capital Markets Act violation, there have already been two thorough investigations that concluded there was no wrongdoing," adding, "We believe the special prosecutor has exaggerated the case by selectively presenting only certain pieces of evidence that are of little significance."
Regarding the violation of the Political Funds Act, the attorney argued, "The defendant merely received a few poll results from Mr. Myung via KakaoTalk," and "During the presidential campaign, numerous polls were already being conducted through the campaign, so there was absolutely no reason to conduct a separate poll."
Concerning the aggravated punishment charge, the attorney stated, "The defendant had no knowledge of any requests allegedly conveyed by the Unification Church through Mr. Jeon," and "She never received any items such as a Chanel bag." The attorney also noted, "We have not been able to review the special prosecutor’s evidence records, so there was insufficient time to prepare properly," questioning, "Is it appropriate to proceed with the process in this manner?"
Except for responding to the court’s identity verification, Mrs. Kim did not speak during the proceedings. Although she occasionally whispered to her attorneys, she made no official statements. Mrs. Kim, who sat with her head bowed and leaned back in her chair throughout the trial, left the courtroom with a correctional officer after the hearing ended. The trial lasted for about 40 minutes.
The court has scheduled a preparatory hearing for 3 p.m. on the 26th to organize the witness examination schedule. Unlike a formal hearing, the defendant is not required to attend the preparatory session, so Mrs. Kim is not expected to be present.
The full trial will proceed twice a week starting from the 15th of next month. The court stated, "We will hold hearings every Wednesday and Friday," adding, "In October, we will conduct direct examinations of 27 witnesses on the 15th, 22nd, 24th, and 29th, and we plan to complete the evidence review by the end of December."
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