Former President of Korean Childcare Association Charged with 'Legislative Lobbying' Receives Reduced Sentence in Second Trial

Seoul High Court. / Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] Kim Yonghee, former president of the Korea Association of Childcare Centers (Han-eo-chong), who was sentenced to imprisonment in the first trial for giving illegal donations to lawmakers and their aides for legislative lobbying, was reduced to a fine in the appellate trial.

On the afternoon of the 21st, the Criminal Division 2 of the Seoul High Court (Presiding Judges Lee Wonbeom, Han Gisu, Nam Woohyun) sentenced Kim to a fine of 7 million won for embezzlement in the course of duty. For violation of the Political Funds Act, he was fined 10 million won.

The court stated, "The total amount of donations ranged from as little as 1 million won per person to as much as 7 million won, and some have already been returned," adding, "We judge that the sentence imposed by the original court was too heavy."

Earlier, Kim was indicted on charges of violating the Political Funds Act for collecting about 40 million won from directors in 2013 and 2017?2018, when he served as the chairman of the public and private sector committee under Han-eo-chong and as president of Han-eo-chong, to pass favorable bills and block unfavorable ones for the organization, and then donating part of it to members of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee. He was also charged with embezzlement in the course of duty for using about 20 million won of Han-eo-chong funds for litigation costs and other purposes unrelated to his duties or for personal use.

At the time, the police investigating the case also conducted an internal investigation into suspicions of violation of the Political Funds Act by five lawmakers and aides who were known to have received the money, but the case was closed without indictment due to lack of evidence, according to the prosecution's judgment.

The first trial sentenced him to six months in prison with a two-year probation for violation of the Political Funds Act and six months in prison for embezzlement in the course of duty. However, he was not detained in court due to no risk of evidence destruction or flight.

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