Hong Joonpyo Criticizes Kim Keonhee Again: "In the KOSPI 5000 Era, Stock Manipulation Should Lead to Ruin" (Comprehensive)

"Lenient Sentencing Stems from the Court's 'Leniency'"
"Need to Set an Example with a Ruling That Shows Financial Ruin Awaits Offenders"

Hong Joonpyo, former mayor of Daegu. YouTube capture

Hong Joonpyo, former mayor of Daegu, has continued to raise concerns regarding the trial of Kim Keonhee. He argues that, despite being a much more serious case than the Choi Soon-sil state affairs scandal, the sentence handed down was far too lenient.

On January 29, Hong commented on his social media account, "Choi Soon-sil was sentenced to 18 years in prison for the Park Geunhye state affairs scandal." He continued, "Kim Keonhee's abuse of state power was on a level incomparable to Choi Soon-sil, and there were even claims that she was gaslighting former President Yoon Sukyeol."

He pointed out that the excessively low sentence for the stock price manipulation case was partly due to the statutory sentencing guidelines, but also largely attributable to the court's leniency. Leniency, in this context, refers to a system in which the government or an organization protects or regulates its members according to a paternalistic family model.

He added, "The court even handed down suspended sentences to the main perpetrators of the Deutsche Motors stock manipulation case, so what more can be said? In an era where the KOSPI reaches 5,000 points, shouldn't we be setting an example that stock manipulation leads to total ruin?" He also said, "During my time as a lawmaker, I proposed an amendment to revise the statutory sentencing for stock manipulation, but it was discarded by the Strategy and Finance Committee."

"Kim Keonhee's First Trial, a Truly Perplexing Verdict...A Ruling Completely Out of Touch with Politics"

Earlier that day, Hong also criticized the first trial verdict for Kim Keonhee, saying, "It was truly a perplexing ruling."

On social media, Hong stated, "The Deutsche Motors case could have resulted in an accomplice conviction without amending the indictment, but the court insisted on a not guilty verdict," criticizing the court's decision the previous day.

He also commented on the not guilty verdict for Kim Keonhee regarding the alleged acceptance of a free public opinion poll from Myung Taegyun, saying, "The reasoning that there was no contract or financial gain from the poll, or that there was no causal relationship with the nomination of former lawmaker Kim Youngsun, is completely unconvincing."

He stated, "While the special prosecutor's sentencing recommendation was absurdly high, the verdict itself seems totally detached from the reality of politics. The judge tried to be eloquent by using a four-character idiom, but 'Taesanmyeongdongseoilpil' (the mountain rumbles, but only a mouse comes out) is exactly the kind of phrase that applies here."

Previously, the 27th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Woo Inseong) on January 28 found Kim Keonhee guilty only of receiving money from the Unification Church, sentencing her to one year and eight months in prison-far less than the 15 years sought by the special prosecutor. The court acquitted her of the Deutsche Motors stock manipulation charge, stating that while Kim Keonhee was 'aware' of the price manipulation, she did not appear to have colluded with the manipulators.