Suspended Sentence for Son of Former Blue House Civil Affairs Secretary in 'Bribery in Sentencing' Case

The son of former Blue House Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs Kim Jin-guk, who was prosecuted on charges of demanding and receiving money from a defendant under the pretext of "securing leniency from the judge," was sentenced to probation.

Jin-guk Kim, Former Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs at the Blue House [Photo by Yonhap News]

On the 18th, Judge Lee Hwan-gi of the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 4 sentenced Kim's son Kim (32) and accomplice Jo (32), who were indicted without detention on charges of bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, to 1 year and 6 months in prison with 2 years of probation, ordered a fine of 3 million won, and mandated probation supervision.

The court stated, "This severely damages the trust in the integrity, incorruptibility, and fairness of public officials, making it highly blameworthy," and added, "The fact that they actually called and texted the presiding judge is also considered an unfavorable circumstance."

Kim is accused of contacting A, who was indicted for violating the National Sports Promotion Act, through Jo's introduction in July 2021 while Kim's father was serving at the Blue House, demanding 100 million won by saying, "I will ask the presiding judge to grant leniency," and receiving 50 million won, including 5 million won as an initial payment.

Kim actually called the presiding judge's office to request leniency for A. However, A was reportedly sentenced to imprisonment and taken into custody in court.

In December 2021, Kim caused a controversy known as the "Dad Chance" by submitting job applications to several companies stating, "My father is Kim Jin-guk, Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs," and "My father will provide a lot of help." As the controversy grew, former Senior Secretary Kim explained, "My son has been receiving treatment for anxiety and obsessive-compulsive symptoms," and subsequently resigned.

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