Seoul court to summon Kim Gun-hee as witness in Yoon-linked political funds case
A Seoul court has adopted Kim Gun-hee, the wife of former President Yoon Suk-yeol, as a witness in a political funds case involving Yoon and political broker Myeong Tae-gyun. The Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Division 33, presided over by Judge Lee Jin-kwan, held the first public proceedings for the case and scheduled Kim Gun-hee to be summoned on the 14th of next month at 2:00 p.m.
The defendants, Yoon Suk-yeol and Myeong Tae-gyun, are accused of having received 58 opinion polls free of charge from Myeong between April 2021 and March 2022, worth about 270 million won. Prosecutors allege that the free polling data was provided as a payback or inducement to influence a 2022 by-election for a National Assembly seat, in particular to help Kim Young-sun, a former lawmaker from the People Power Party (PPP), gain the party’s nomination.
During the session, the defense questioned whether Kim Gun-hee should be compelled to testify, arguing she would likely refuse. The court responded that, even if there is a right to decline, the opportunity to question a witness must be guaranteed, and reiterated that Kim Gun-hee will be summoned unless a new objection is raised.
Kim Gun-hee’s own case related to these charges previously went to trial, with a January ruling acquitting her of the same alleged offense. The court at that time found that the Yoon couple did not derive substantial financial gain from the polling payments. Yoon’s legal team has echoed this stance, denying the charges and arguing there was no contract or payment to Myeong, and that Myeong set terms independently.
The by-election referenced in the case occurred in 2022, with Kim Young-sun identified as the targeted PPP candidate for nomination. Prosecutors contend that the alleged free polling was connected to exerting influence to secure that nomination.
For U.S. readers, the case matters beyond Korea because it touches on political finance, transparency, and the handling of high-profile allegations in a major U.S. ally’s political system. Seoul’s approach to investigating alleged pay-for-influence, the role of a president’s family in political fundraising, and how by-elections are managed can influence South Korea’s political stability, its policy alignment with the United States, and perceptions of governance and rule of law that affect markets, security cooperation, and diplomatic trust. The proceedings also reflect how South Korea’s legal institutions pursue potential abuses of political funds in a system with long-standing close ties to the United States.