Historic trial brings former presidential couple together

Former First Lady Kim Kun-hee was formally indicted and taken into custody on Aug. 29 and is set to stand trial alongside former President Yoon Suk-yeol. This marks the first time in history that a former presidential couple has been brought to trial together. Kim faces 16 allegations under investigation by the special prosecutor.

She was indicted this time on three charges: stock manipulation in the Deutsche Motors case, interference in candidate selection, and allegations of receiving money from the Unification Church, with the remaining charges expected to be added gradually.

For Kim, who was considered the ‘shadow power’ during the Yoon administration, the indictment was expected. Repeatedly evading accountability due to her husband’s protection and lenient investigations by prosecutors, her accumulating allegations ultimately prompted a large-scale special prosecution. During the investigation, evidence emerged suggesting that Kim received high-value gifts from the Unification Church and Seohee Construction while engaging in what appeared to be influence peddling.

At a nursing home operated by Kim’s family, authorities discovered a letter from Lee Bae-yong, chair of the National Education Committee, along with a 37.5-gram gold turtle reportedly offered in exchange for official favors. It was also confirmed that Kim used a secure phone equivalent to that of the president and frequently called high-ranking public officials. Despite this, Kim reportedly said, “I am just a person of no significance,” a statement that bears little relation to the facts.

Her detention was largely driven by her history of lying and attempts to destroy evidence. She repeatedly claimed that the 62 million won Van Cleef & Arpels necklace she wore during her NATO trip was fake, but her falsehood was exposed when the chairman of Seohui Construction admitted to providing it and presented the genuine piece. Regarding the Deutsche Motors stock manipulation allegations, phone recordings with brokerage employees were revealed, and investigations showed that she had earned more than 800 million won. She allegedly denied the charges, claiming, ‘I only suffered losses; what stock manipulation?’”

Immediately after her indictment, Kim issued a statement saying, “Just as the moon shines brightly in the darkest night, I will endure this time by facing my truth and my heart.” Having refused to testify in most of the five special prosecutor investigations since her detention, she appears unlikely to change her stance during the trial. However, in the face of evidence and testimonies that will soon be presented in court, remaining silent is likely to carry little weight. The fact that a former presidential couple is detained and standing together in the defendant’s seat is, in itself, a source of national shame. Even now, humbly revealing the truth would be the only way to atone before a public left in dismay.