Former South Korean First Lady Kim Keon-hee was found not guilty in both first- and second-instance trials regarding alleged illegal opinion polls [1], [2].
The rulings clear Kim of accusations that she provided free polling services to benefit former President Yoon Suk-yeol, a case that scrutinized the intersection of private political consulting and public office.
The legal proceedings centered on the alleged free provision of 58 opinion polls [1]. While investigators identified 14 instances that were deemed clearly illegal [1], the court focused on the specific role and intent of the defendant.
Judge Woo In-seong of the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 27 delivered the first-instance verdict in January 2024 [1], [3]. The court concluded that the alleged conduct did not constitute a crime because there was no contractual agreement, no specific instruction, and no consideration involved [1], [2].
Regarding the nature of the services, Judge Woo said, "It may have been intended to show that help was given to the election, but it does not appear that there was an intention to claim the cost of the opinion polls from the defendant" [3].
The court's findings suggest that while there may have been sequential or implicit agreements between the couple and political consultant Myung Tae-kyun, these did not meet the legal threshold for criminal charges [1]. The second-instance court subsequently upheld the not-guilty verdict [1], [2].
“Kim Keon-hee was found not guilty in both first- and second-instance trials”
The acquittal of Kim Keon-hee removes a significant legal burden from the former first family, as the courts determined that the provision of political services lacked the formal contractual elements required for a criminal conviction. This ruling emphasizes the difficulty of proving 'consideration' in implicit political agreements, potentially setting a precedent for how the South Korean judiciary handles non-monetary political favors.
