Kim Keon Hee denies charges in appeal, claims painting may be forgery

The Seoul High Court will deliver its appellate ruling Sept. 22 in the case of Kim Keon Hee, who was sentenced to seven years in prison on charges of receiving expensive gifts in exchange for various favors.

The Seoul High Court's Criminal Division 15-3, presided over by judges Seong Eon-ju, Won Ik-seon and Lee Hui-jun, held the first pretrial hearing Wednesday in Kim's appeal of her conviction under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes for brokerage corruption. The court said it plans to "close arguments on Sept. 9 and, barring special circumstances, deliver the verdict at 2 p.m. on the 22nd of the same month."

Kim's legal team maintained in its appeal brief the same position taken at trial — that she either never received the gifts or that no specific favors were requested, and that she should therefore be acquitted.

The court asked the defense whether it needed to address the Supreme Court's final ruling in the Kim Sang-min case, handed down after the appeal brief was filed. Kim Sang-min, a former senior prosecutor, was convicted by the Supreme Court on Thursday of delivering a painting by artist Lee Woo-hwan — "From Point No. 800298" — to Kim Keon Hee in exchange for a request to secure a party nomination. That ruling directly contradicts Kim Keon Hee's longstanding claim that she never received the painting.

In response, Kim's defense team said it would "apply to submit evidence only on points where (the Supreme Court's finding) can be overturned," adding that it would request a National Forensic Service appraisal on the grounds that "there is substantial basis to believe the Lee Woo-hwan painting that appeared in this case is a forgery."

The special prosecution team led by Min Joong-ki countered that it had already sought a National Forensic Service appraisal during Kim Sang-min's trial, only to receive a response that appraisal was not possible, and said the court in that case had compared assessments from the Korea Art Appraisal Research Center and the Korea Gallery Association before concluding the work was authentic. The court declined to accept the National Forensic Service appraisal request for now, saying it would consider the matter further if a detailed application is submitted.

Beyond the painting, Kim faces charges of receiving expensive gifts from multiple individuals. From March to May 2022, she allegedly accepted jewelry worth a total of 103.8 million won ($70,800) from Lee Bong-gwan, chairman of Seohee Construction, in connection with a request for a personnel favor involving his eldest son-in-law. In September of the same year, she is accused of receiving a Vacheron Constantin watch worth 39.9 million won from a robotics entrepreneur surnamed Seo, in exchange for a request for business support. The charges also include accepting a Dior bag and other items worth 5.4 million won from Pastor Choi Jae-young, and receiving a gold turtle figurine and a replica of the painting "Sehando" worth 2.65 million won from Lee Bae-yong, former chairwoman of the National Education Commission, in return for a request for her appointment. The first trial, on June 26, found her guilty on all counts and handed down a prison sentence.