Kim Hye-kyung Appeals Fine for Election Law Violation
On May 12, 2025, Kim Hye-kyung, the wife of Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, exited the Suwon District Court after attending a hearing regarding her appeal for violating the Public Official Election Act. The court upheld the initial ruling, imposing a fine of 1.5 million won (approximately $1,200). Following this decision, Kim filed an appeal on May 16, just four days later, bringing her case to the Supreme Court.
The charges stem from an incident on August 2, 2021, when Kim allegedly used a corporate credit card from Gyeonggi Province to pay for a meal costing 104,000 won (around $80) at a restaurant near Gwanghwamun in Seoul. The meal included three wives of current and former senior Democratic Party lawmakers, her driver, and an aide. Prosecutors believe Kim directed her aide, who was a former public servant, to make the payment, leading to his indictment in February 2024.
During the trial, Kim denied the allegations, claiming she was unaware of her aide's actions. However, the first trial court found her guilty in November 2024, resulting in the same fine.
The appellate court, presided over by Judge Kim Jong-ki, dismissed both Kim's and the prosecution's appeals on May 12, affirming the original verdict. The court noted that Kim's denial of the charges and her attempt to shift blame onto her aide indicated a lack of accountability, especially given the context of the meal, which could have benefited her husband's campaign.
The court further stated that the relationship between Kim and her aide, along with phone records and the circumstances surrounding the use of the corporate card, suggested that Kim was aware of the payment and tacitly approved it. If the Supreme Court upholds the fine of over 1 million won, Kim will be barred from running for office for five years and will be prohibited from campaigning. However, it is unlikely that a Supreme Court ruling will be reached before the presidential election on June 3, 2025, which may allow her to participate in the campaign without disruption.
