Special Prosecutor Seeks Additional Detention Warrant for Kim Keonhee Ahead of Detention Expiry

Request submitted to Supreme Court
Detention period expires on Oct. 31

The special prosecutor team led by Special Prosecutor Min Joongki asked the Supreme Court on Oct. 15 to issue an additional detention warrant for Kim Keonhee, whose detention period is nearing its end.

Special Prosecutor Min Joong-ki of the team investigating allegations of government corruption and illegal election interference involving Kim Keon-hee, Myung Tae-gyun and Geonjin Beopsa. Reporter Yoon Dong-ju.

That afternoon, the team submitted a request to the Supreme Court, which is hearing the appeal in Kim’s so-called “sale of government posts” case, asking it to issue a detention warrant on its own authority. The team explained, “We submitted the request because continued detention is necessary as the detention period for defendant Kim Keonhee is nearing its end.” Kim is being tried in detention over three major allegations: stock price manipulation involving Deutsch Motors, opinion polls conducted by Myung Taegyun, and the acceptance of money and valuables from the Unification Church. Her detention period expires on Oct. 31.

The second-trial ruling in the three major cases was handed down on Apr. 28, but the Supreme Court postponed its ruling after referring the case to its en banc panel to review the allegation concerning opinion polls conducted by Myung Taegyun. The en banc panel held its first deliberation session on Sep. 29 and decided to continue proceedings on Oct. 22, making it effectively unlikely that a ruling will be issued before Kim’s detention period expires. The special prosecutor therefore asked the appeals panel in the sale-of-government-posts case to issue an additional detention warrant to prevent her release when her detention period expires.

In the sale-of-government-posts case, in which she is accused of receiving money through influence-peddling under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Crimes, Kim was sentenced to five years in prison in the second trial on Sep. 22.

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