Judge who sentenced ex-first lady of South Korea was found dead

The body of Judge Shin Jong Oh, who presided over the appeal process in the case of former First Lady Kim Gong Hee, has been found in Seoul. This was reported by the Yohhap news agency on May 6.

"Seoul High Court Judge Shin Jong Oh, <...> Kim Gong-hee, who was considering an appeal in the case of the wife of former President Yoon Seok-young on manipulation of shares of Deutsche Motors and other charges, was found dead in the early morning of May 6," the report says.

When examining the scene, the police found a suicide note. No traces of the crime have been found. The message found in the deceased's pocket contained an apology, but the trial itself was not mentioned. Law enforcement officers refused to disclose the contents of the note.

Life cycle: Yoon Seok-yeol became the fifth convicted president of South Korea

The ex-leader received the maximum sentence for attempted military rebellion, and his ministers received dozens of years in prison.

On January 28, the court of first instance sentenced Kim Gong-hee to one year and eight months in prison on charges of corruption in connection with receiving expensive gifts. Among them are two handbags and a necklace from the Unification Church worth 80 million won (about $56 thousand).

In turn, former President Yoon Seok-young was sentenced to life imprisonment. According to the case file, Yoon Seok-yeol declared martial law in the absence of war or other emergencies, mobilizing troops and police to cordon off the National Assembly.

Yoon Seok-young was arrested on January 15, 2025 in a corruption case, which was an unprecedented case when investigative authorities detained a person who ruled the state. Later, the president was taken into custody, which caused discontent among his supporters, who staged pogroms in the country. On July 15, it became known that Yoon Seok-yeol was arrested again, as the court also feared that he might destroy evidence.