Supreme Court Refers First Lady's Case to En Banc Session Amid Conflicting Lower Court Rulings

The Supreme Court has referred the case concerning First Lady Kim Keon-hee and Myung Tae-gyun, related to alleged violations of the Political Funds Act, to an en banc session, postponing its ruling. This move comes as lower courts have delivered conflicting verdicts on whether Kim Keon-hee unlawfully received polling data from Myung Tae-gyun.

The en banc session involves all Supreme Court justices and is typically convened for significant cases or those requiring a review of existing precedents. Previously, a three-justice panel of the Supreme Court was scheduled to deliver its verdict on July 16th. However, following a guilty verdict in the first trial of former President Yoon Suk-yeol on similar charges, the special prosecutor's team requested a postponement, which was granted, pushing the decision to July 24th. The final ruling has now been deferred once more, just a day before the scheduled announcement.

This decision by the Supreme Court appears aimed at resolving the inconsistencies in the lower court rulings. The cases involving former President Yoon Suk-yeol, First Lady Kim Keon-hee, and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon were heard by different judicial panels, leading to varied outcomes. Recently, the Seoul Central District Court found Mayor Oh Se-hoon guilty of violating the Political Funds Act, sentencing him to a fine of 10 million won for allegedly having his poll data expenses covered by Myung Tae-gyun through a sponsor. The court stated that while Myung Tae-gyun's testimony was not entirely credible due to his tendency towards exaggeration and delusion, parts of his statement were corroborated by objective evidence.

In contrast, the court that heard Kim Keon-hee's case ruled in January that Myung Tae-gyun's testimony was unreliable, citing his exaggerated claims and perceived delusion. The court found insufficient evidence to prove an agreement between the Yoon couple and Myung Tae-gyun regarding the provision of polling data, thus acquitting Kim Keon-hee. The key point of contention among the lower courts has been the determination of mutual consent and the credibility of Myung Tae-gyun's statements. The Supreme Court's en banc review is expected to clarify these issues.