(LEAD) Court acquits PPP lawmaker over luxury gift to ex-first lady

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SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- A Seoul district court on Friday acquitted a lawmaker of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) of anti-graft charges over a luxury bag gifted to former first lady Kim Keon Hee.

The Seoul Central District Court found Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon not guilty of violating the anti-graft law over the Roger Vivier clutch bag his wife gave to the then first lady, wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, in March 2023.

Special counsel Min Joong-ki's team had sought a one-year prison sentence for the lawmaker, accusing the couple of gifting the bag worth 2.67 million won (US$2,000) in return for her support in his election as the PPP's leader earlier that month.

The court, however, convicted the lawmaker's wife of the charges, sentencing her to a fine of 5 million won. Min's team had sought a six-month prison term for Kim's wife.

Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon (C) of the main opposition People Power Party arrives at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul on Oct. 30, 2026, to attend his trial on charges of violating the anti-graft law. (Yonhap)

The court rejected arguments by Kim's wife that the clutch bag was merely a customary gift, ruling that it constituted a violation of the anti-graft law given the former first lady's position.

It also rejected the special counsel team's argument that the couple had conspired to gift the bag, citing the lack of evidence to substantiate such an allegation and noting that it could not rule out the possibility of the lawmaker's wife delivering the bag without her husband's knowledge.

The former first lady, who has been convicted in separate corruption cases, earlier said she had received the bag but noted that she had no memory of accepting it in person.

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr (END)

(LEAD) Court acquits PPP lawmaker over luxury gift to ex-first lady

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首尔，10 月 30 日（韩联社）——首尔地方法院周五宣判，主要反对党国民力量党的一名议员无罪，此前他被指控向韩国前第一夫人金建熙赠送了一个奢侈包，涉嫌贪污。

首尔中央地方法院裁定，金基贤议员并未违反反贪污法，此前他被指控于2023年3月向时任第一夫人、前总统尹锡悦的妻子赠送了一款Roger Vivier手拿包。

特别检察官闵仲基的团队曾寻求判处该议员一年监禁，指控这对夫妇赠送价值 267 万韩元（2000 美元）的包，以换取她在他当月早些时候当选人民进步党领导人时的支持。

然而，法院认定该议员的妻子罪名成立，并判处其罚款500万韩元。闵律师团队曾要求判处金正恩妻子六个月监禁。

2026年10月30日，主要反对党国民力量党议员金基贤（中）抵达首尔中央地方法院，出席其涉嫌违反反贪污法的庭审。（韩联社）

法院驳回了金正恩妻子关于手包只是惯例礼物的辩解，裁定鉴于这位前第一夫人的身份，该礼物违反了反贪污法。

法院还驳回了特别检察官小组关于这对夫妇合谋赠送该包的论点，理由是缺乏证据来证实这一指控，并指出不能排除该议员的妻子在丈夫不知情的情况下递送该包的可能性。

这位曾因多起腐败案件被定罪的前第一夫人早些时候表示，她收到了这个包，但她表示自己不记得曾亲自接收过。

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr (完)

（导语）法院宣判人民进步党议员向第一夫人赠送奢侈品无罪