Opposition leader's wife fined for election law violations

Kim Hye-kyung, center, wife of Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chair Lee Jae-myung, attends a sentencing hearing in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, Nov. 14. Yonhap

A regional court on Thursday fined the wife of opposition leader Lee Jae-myung 1.5 million won ($1,066) for providing free meals during her husband's run in the party primary to select the candidate for the 2022 presidential election.

Kim Hye-kyung, wife of Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chair Lee, was indicted after providing meals worth 104,000 won to the wives of three former and current party lawmakers and three of her aides at a restaurant in Seoul in August 2021, shortly after Lee declared his bid for the party election.

A corporate card from the Gyeonggi regional government, where Lee was governor at the time, was allegedly used for the payment.

The Suwon District Court found Kim guilty of having her secretary, surnamed Bae, pay for the meals with her "permission" and imposed the fine.

"(The crime) appears to pose risks to the fairness and transparency of elections," the court said, chiding Kim for "denying the crime and passing the responsibility onto Bae."

The prosecution had demanded a 3 million won fine for Kim.

Kim's lawyer said she would appeal the ruling, calling it a "guilty conviction based on assumption." (Yonhap)