Seoul: Former first lady Kim Keon Hee's trial on corruption charges is set to formally begin later this month. Legal sources announced that the Seoul Central District Court has scheduled the first hearing for September 24, following Kim's indictment by special counsel Min Joong-ki at the end of August.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim, the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, was indicted with physical detention. The charges include violations of the Capital Markets Act, the Political Funds Act, and a law concerning the acceptance of bribes for mediation. The alleged offenses took place between 2009 and 2012, involving a stock manipulation scheme and the acceptance of free opinion polls alongside her husband from a self-proclaimed power broker before the 2022 presidential election.
Additionally, Kim is under suspicion for receiving luxury gifts from the Unification Church through a shaman acquaintance in exchange for business favors during 2022. Her legal troubles intensified when a court issued a warrant for her arrest on August 12, resulting in her current custody status.
In a significant legal development, Kim and her husband are set to become the first former presidential couple to face trial under arrest simultaneously. Former President Yoon Suk Yeol is also detained and undergoing trial on insurrection charges related to his attempt to impose martial law in December.