Judge Who Handed South Korea's Ex-First Lady 4-Year Jail Term Found Dead

The South Korean judge who handled a high-profile case involving former first lady Kim Keon-hee was found dead near the Seoul High Court building on Wednesday morning.

The judge, identified as Shin Jong-oh, was discovered with serious injuries in a flower bed close to the court complex in Seoul's Seocho district, South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported. Authorities said the 55-year-old was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Shin may have fallen from the building, police said. They are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. Officials said a suicide note was recovered from his pocket.

“It is true that an apparent suicide note was found in his pocket,” an officer at Seocho Police Station said.

According to authorities, the note reportedly included phrases such as “I am sorry” and “I am leaving of my own accord”.

Investigators said the note did not contain any direct mention of Shin's judicial work or the recent case involving Kim. Police are examining CCTV footage and the contents of the note as part of the ongoing investigation. They are also talking to witnesses.

Shin presided over an appeals court ruling delivered on April 28 in a politically sensitive case tied to allegations of stock price manipulation and bribery involving Kim.

The appellate court partially reversed a lower court ruling that had earlier acquitted her. Under Shin's bench, the court found Kim guilty of violating capital market laws in connection with allegations linked to stock manipulation involving Deutsche Motors.

The court also overturned part of the lower court's findings in a separate bribery-related matter. It ruled that Kim had improperly accepted a luxury handbag from the Unification Church in April 2022, during the period when her husband, former president Yoon Suk-yeol, was serving as president-elect.

According to the ruling, the handbag had been provided with the intention of seeking favours.

The appeals court increased Kim's punishment significantly compared to the earlier ruling. She was sentenced to four years in prison and imposed a fine of 50 million won (approximately Rs 32.2 lakh).

The court also ordered the confiscation of a Graff necklace valued at 62.2 million won and directed an additional forfeiture of 20.94 million won.