Lee Jongho, Close Aide to Kim Keon-hee, Sentenced to 1 Year and 2 Months in Prison on Appeal

by Byun Seonjin

Published 16 Apr.2026 11:47(KST)

Updated 17 Apr.2026 07:25(KST)

Sentence Reduced by Four Months Compared to First Trial

Kim Joungho, former CEO of Black Pearl Invest, Yonhap News

Lee Jongho, former CEO of Black Pearl Invest and known as a close associate of First Lady Kim Keon Hee, who was accused of falsely promising to lobby for a favorable court ruling and receiving money in return, received a slight reduction in his sentence on appeal.

On April 16, the Seoul High Court's Criminal Division 3 (Presiding Judge Lee Seunghan) sentenced Lee, who was indicted for violating the Attorney-at-Law Act, to one year and two months in prison and ordered the forfeiture of 71.1 million won. With some of the charges related to personal misconduct excluded, the sentence was reduced by four months compared to the one year and six months handed down in the first trial, and the forfeiture amount was also reduced.

Lee was brought to trial in August last year on charges of receiving money from Lee Jeongpil, who is known as the "primary financier" in the Deutsche Motors stock manipulation case, under the pretense of using his influence to resolve Lee Jeongpil's criminal trial.

The court rejected Lee's argument that the case fell outside the scope of the special prosecutor's investigation, stating, "The charges related to lobbying for favorable trial outcomes involve Lee offering, through Mrs. Kim, to influence the trial of Lee Jeongpil, a Deutsche Motors stock manipulation accomplice; therefore, it was essential to investigate this matter together to clarify suspicions surrounding the case."

However, regarding the money received under the pretext of "resolving an embezzlement case," the court dismissed the indictment, saying, "There is no direct connection found between Mrs. Kim or the Deutsche Motors case."

The court stated, "If there are suspicions that court proceedings are not about the realization of justice, but are instead swayed by improper outside influence-or, in the extreme, by the lure of money-the mere existence of such suspicions shakes the rule of law and fatally damages the fairness of criminal procedures."

However, the court explained the reason for the sentencing, stating, "In the appellate trial, Lee admitted to the facts and showed a repentant attitude, and the court also considered as favorable circumstances the fact that a portion of the illicit funds received after the crime was returned."