A South Korean judge who sentenced former first lady Kim Keon Hee to four years in prison has been found dead, eight days after delivering the ruling.
Judge Shin Jong-o was discovered dead in the compound of the Seoul High Court at around 1am on Wednesday, police said. His body was found on the fifth-floor terrace of the building in Seocho-dong, Seoul, after his daughter reported she was unable to contact him. He was taken to hospital, where he was declared dead.
Shin presided over the appellate trial of Kim, the wife of convicted former president Yoon Suk Yeol. He overturned a lower court decision that had sentenced her to 20 months in prison, extending the term to four years and imposing a fine of 50m won (£25,319) after finding her guilty in a stock manipulation case. She was also found guilty of accepting valuables, including Chanel bags and a necklace from the Unification Church, and was ordered to return a diamond necklace.
Kim, who has been detained since August, was initially sentenced in January for bribery but acquitted of other charges. The appeals court reversed the acquittal on stock manipulation, ruling that she had participated in manipulating the price of a thinly traded Korean stock. The court also found her guilty of accepting two Chanel bags and a Graff necklace worth around 80m won (£39,935) from the Unification Church while aware that the church expected political favours.
The ruling was challenged by a special counsel team, which had sought a 15-year prison term for Kim. The case is among a series of trials faced by the couple stemming from investigations into Yoon's brief imposition of martial law in 2024 and related scandals. Yoon, who was removed last April, was sentenced to life in prison in February for masterminding an insurrection.
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website.
