By Heejin Kim
SEOUL (Reuters) -Kim Keon Hee, the wife of South Korea’s ousted former president Yoon Suk Yeol, appeared in court on Wednesday at the start of her corruption trial, part of a criminal probe that has ensnared high-profile political and religious figures.
Kim, who faces charges including bribery and stock manipulation, arrived at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul wearing a black suit, making her first public appearance since her arrest in August.
In brief remarks to the court she confirmed her personal information and asked for a trial by judge, rather than a jury, but did not address any of the charges.
A prosecutor outlined charges against Kim, including allegations of stock manipulation, violating political fundraising laws by asking a power broker to carry out free opinion polling, and accepting bribes from South Korea’s Unification Church. Kim’s lawyers denied all the charges and said the prosecutors had not shared details of the evidence they had obtained.
If convicted on any of the charges, Kim faces penalties ranging from fines to up to five years in prison.
A scandal over a Dior bag she was seen accepting from a pastor, which was filmed on a hidden video camera, came to overshadow her husband’s presidency until his shock martial law declaration in December led to his removal from office.
Yoon is on trial separately for insurrection and has been held in custody since July.
On Tuesday, Han Hak-ja, the leader of South Korea’s Unification Church, was jailed on allegations that she directed her organisation to bribe Kim for political favours.
Prosecutors said the church gave Kim two Chanel bags, a Graff necklace, and a Korean ginseng gift set, which were estimated to be worth about 80 million won (CONVERSION) in total.
Kim’s lawyer said the former first lady did not receive any of those gifts.
Han has denied the allegations, calling them “false information”.
Founded in South Korea in the 1950s by self-declared messiah Moon and known for its mass weddings, the church has faced criticism for its fundraising and other issues, most recently a political scandal in Japan in the wake of former prime minister Shinzo Abe’s assassination.
(Reporting by Heejin Kim; Editing by Michael Perry)
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