Court allows partial broadcast of former first lady's trial for first time

The Seoul Central District Court allowed the trial of former First Lady Kim Keon Hee to be partially televised for the first time on Wednesday, in a case where Kim is facing charges including violations of the Capital Markets Act.

Former first lady Kim Keon Hee, center, attends the ninth hearing of her alleged violation of the Capital Markets Act at the Seoul Central District Court on Nov. 19. The hearing was televised for the first time. [SEOUL CENTRAL DISTRICT COURT]

The Seoul Central District Court allowed the trial of former First Lady Kim Keon Hee to be partially televised for the first time on Wednesday, in a case where Kim is facing charges including violations of the Capital Markets Act.

Photographs of Kim seated in the defendant’s chair were previously allowed by the court during the case's first hearing on Sept. 27. However, until now, and unlike the special counsel that is handling the martial law case, the special counsel assigned to Kim’s case had not sought a public broadcast of the proceedings.

That changed during a regular briefing on Tuesday, when the special counsel announced its decision to seek limited broadcasting permission. “To uphold the public’s right to know, we requested the court allow live coverage of the evidentiary phase on Nov. 19 and the expected defendant interrogation on Dec. 3,” the team stated.

The court granted the request in part, allowing cameras only during the early phase of the proceedings, specifically prior to evidentiary review due to the “irreparable harm” that could come from disclosing personal information that are revealed during the proceedings. This information can include dates of birth, resident registration numbers, phone numbers, addresses and bank account information. Furthering the court's concern is the fact that the defendant does not have an immediate right of rebuttal during this phase of the proceedings.

Kim appeared in court wearing a black coat, black dress pants and black flat shoes, along with a white mask and black-rimmed glasses. About two minutes after the evidentiary review began, the live broadcast was halted. Kim remained hunched over or laid her head on the desk while the prosecution presented its case. At times, she wrote notes to her attorney or whispered to them.

A recorded phone conversation between Kim and Yoon Young-ho, former head of the Unification Church’s World Headquarters, was played during the session. In the recording, Yoon says, “This is the first time we’ve mobilized not just churches, but schools, the entire country, organizations and companies.” Kim replies, “I should greet the [church] leader. I don’t know when, but I’ll do it privately and in secret.” The same recording was played during the Oct. 28 trial of political broker Jeon Seong-bae, better known as Shaman Geon Jin.

Former first lady Kim Keon Hee, second from right, attends the ninth hearing of her alleged violation of the Capital Markets Act at the Seoul Central District Court on Nov. 19. The hearing was televised for the first time. [SEOUL CENTRAL DISTRICT COURT]

Former first lady Kim Keon Hee closes her eyes during a hearing held at the Seoul Central District Court, southern Seoul, on Sept. 24. [NEWS1]

Also disclosed in court was a July 24, 2022 message Yoon sent to Jeon, stating, “I’d like to give her a very expensive gift, different from last time — would that be all right?” The special counsel claimed that this referred to a Graff necklace. While Kim admitted earlier this month to accepting two Chanel bags from Jeon and exchanging them for three Chanel bags and a pair of shoes, she continues to deny having received the necklace.

Around 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Kim began complaining of health issues and was eventually placed on a stretcher. Her legal team told the court, “She nearly collapsed several times on her way to court. She doesn’t seem well — might she be excused and allowed to leave?” Instead, the court confirmed whether the courtroom could accommodate a reclined position and brought in a bed-style wheelchair. Kim continued to attend the session in a semi-reclined posture for the remainder of the evidentiary review.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY CHOI SEO-IN [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]