Seoul, Nov 12 (IANS) Lawyers for former first lady Kim Keon Hee asked a court on Wednesday to grant immediate bail, citing her deteriorating health in prison, during her bail hearing.
The hearing was held at the Seoul Central District Court after Kim filed for bail on November 3, citing the need to treat worsened symptoms of anxiety and dizziness.
Kim, under arrest since August, has been standing trial on charges of involvement in stock price manipulation schemes, meddling in candidate nominations for elections and taking bribes from the Unification Church in exchange for favours.
Kim’s lawyers said that she lost consciousness several times in the past and her health is now in very bad condition in prison, unable to receive proper treatment, Yonhap News Agency reported.
They said she can accept all bail conditions, such as limiting the residence to home and hospital, a ban on cell phone use and wearing an electronic device.
They also said that it is too harsh to put Kim and her husband, former President Yoon Suk Yeol, under arrest at the same time. Yoon has been in custody while standing trial over his failed bid to impose martial law in December.
Special counsel prosecutors, however, opposed her bail, arguing that if she were released, there would be great concern about the destruction of evidence, such as through collusion with her associates.
Kim did not speak in person but only listened with her head bowed during the hearing.
On November 5, Kim Keon Hee admitted that she received two Chanel bags from a shaman but denied they were in exchange for favours for the Unification Church.
In a statement released by her lawyers, Kim made the admission for the first time while also denying allegations that she received a high-end Graff necklace from the church.
“First lady Kim Keon Hee admits that she received bags as gifts from Jeon Seong-bae on two occasions,” the statement said, referring to the shaman. “However, she makes it clear that there was no collusion with the Unification Church or request or exchange of any form in the process. She also denies outright receiving a Graff necklace.”
The bags and the jewellery are at the centre of allegations that the former first lady took bribes in exchange for her help in gaining business favours for the church following Yoon’s election in March 2022.
According to the special counsel team investigating the allegations, Jeon delivered the goods to Kim at the request of a former church official surnamed Yoon between April and July that year.
The bags have been priced at 8 million won (USD 5,500) and 12 million won each, while the necklace has been valued at 62 million won.
Kim said she initially declined the bags but later accepted them at Jeon’s persuasion.
–IANS
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