'Rhyme Core' Kim Bong-hyun, Absent from Trial Due to "Severe Stress"

Former Chairman Kim Bong-hyun of Star Mobility.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] Kim Bong-hyun, former chairman of Star Mobility, who was identified as the main figure in the Lime Asset Management (Lime) scandal, suddenly did not attend his embezzlement trial.

On the 23rd, at the Seoul Southern District Court Criminal Division 13 (Chief Judge Shin Hyuk-jae), during the trial on charges including violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes (embezzlement) against former chairman Kim, Kim submitted a written excuse for absence and did not appear.

It was confirmed that Kim wrote the excuse for absence by hand without consulting his lawyer and delivered it through a prison officer. Upon reviewing the excuse letter written by Kim, the lawyers left the courtroom immediately as the trial date was postponed.

Under the current Criminal Procedure Act, if a defendant does not appear at the trial date without special provisions, the trial cannot proceed. However, if a detained defendant refuses to appear without justifiable reasons and it is recognized that detention by prison officers is impossible or significantly difficult, a trial in absentia may proceed.

The lawyers said, "We had not heard that Kim would not appear," and "We saw the excuse letter for the first time in court." They added, "It stated that it was due to 'severe mental and psychological stress.'"

The court stated, "At the next hearing, a warrant for detention will be issued, and witness examination will proceed even if he does not appear," and scheduled a separate witness examination date for Kim.

Kim is currently on trial after being detained and indicted on charges including embezzling approximately 24 billion KRW from Suwon Passenger Transport, a bus company in the Gyeonggi region. Recently, Kim claimed in two prison letters that he entertained prosecutors to cover up the Lime scandal and lobbied opposition politicians.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.