Former Presidential Secretary Testifies, "Kim Keonhee Personally Bought Tableware Worth 10 Million Won"

“The Tableware from the 1980s Was Not Suitable for State Dignity”


Personally Purchased Proper Tea Service Sets for State Guests

Testimonies have emerged claiming that former First Lady Kim Keonhee, during her time as first lady, purchased items for the official residence—including tableware worth about 10 million won—using her personal funds.

Kim Gunhee attending the first trial sentencing hearing for the charge of bribery under the Act on Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes held on June 26 at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

Jung Ji-won, who previously served as Kim's accompanying secretary, appeared as a witness on August 26 at the first appellate trial held by the Seoul High Court’s Criminal Division 15-3 (Judges Sung Eon-ju, Won Ik-sun, and Lee Hee-jun), which is reviewing Kim’s case of alleged bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, and made these statements.

Kim’s legal team questioned Jung to prove that the luxury wristwatch valued at 39.9 million won, which Kim received from businessman Seo in September 2022, was not given in exchange for business favors.

When asked whether Kim’s mother had provided the defendant (Kim Keonhee) with a monthly living allowance of 5 million to 10 million won in cash after Yoon Suk Yeol’s resignation as Prosecutor General, Jung answered, “Yes.”

Jung also testified that Kim paid the watch price to Seo at a later date using both the living allowance received from her mother and her own cash. Additionally, she explained that in December 2022, at Kim’s request, she purchased a flower vase worth 1.47 million won using her own credit card, and in January the following year, purchased tableware worth 13.25 million won the same way. In both cases, she was reimbursed in cash by Kim.

Regarding the purchase of the tableware, Jung stated, “When foreign state guests visited, it was necessary to serve refreshments, but the tableware at the residence dated back to the 1980s and was not befitting of national stature. Kim decided to personally invest in proper tea service tableware, so we went to a department store together and bought it using her private funds.”

Furthermore, Jung testified that Kim had also requested similar purchases from not only herself and businessman Seo, but also from Yoo Kyung-ok, another former secretary, as well as the spouse of the CEO of the interior design firm 21Gram.

Previously, Kim Keonhee was indicted on charges of receiving goods worth about 300 million won—including necklaces and earrings—allegedly as a reward for arranging influence peddling and personnel favors before and after the launch of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration. This past June, she was sentenced to seven years in prison in the first trial.

Meanwhile, at today's hearing, Kim’s legal team reiterated their appellate arguments, reasserting that Kim neither received the alleged valuables nor accepted any specific solicitations or favors.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.