Key facts
- A Seoul court will deliver a verdict on Friday regarding bribery charges against former first lady Kim Keon Hee.
- Kim Keon Hee is accused of accepting luxury gifts for job appointments and business favors.
- Lee Hwa-young, former vice governor of Gyeonggi Province, was found guilty of perjury.
- Lee Hwa-young falsely testified about receiving food and alcohol during a prosecution interrogation.
- Lee Hwa-young was sentenced to four months in prison.
- President Lee Jae Myung appointed new senior presidential secretaries.
- Seong Ghi-hong was appointed presidential secretary for public relations and communication.
- Han Chan-sik was appointed presidential secretary for civil affairs.
- Scams targeting foreigners in South Korea have nearly quadrupled in two years.
- 19,907 foreigners were victims of scams last year.
- Many foreigner scams involved K-pop merchandise.
A Seoul court is scheduled to deliver its verdict on Friday concerning bribery charges against former first lady Kim Keon Hee. She faces allegations of accepting luxury gifts in exchange for job appointments and business favors. The sentencing hearing is set for Friday.
In a separate legal development, Lee Hwa-young, former vice governor of Gyeonggi Province, has been found guilty of perjury by the Suwon District Court. The conviction stems from his false testimony regarding receiving food and alcohol during a prosecution interrogation. He received a sentence of four months in prison, which will be added to his existing jail term.
President Lee Jae Myung has announced appointments for new senior presidential secretaries. Seong Ghi-hong, formerly the CEO of Yonhap News Agency, will take on the role of presidential secretary for public relations and communication. Han Chan-sik, a former senior prosecutor, has been appointed as the presidential secretary for civil affairs. These appointments are part of a broader reshuffling that includes three other aides.
Separately, lawmaker Kim Joon-hwan reported a significant increase in scams targeting foreigners in South Korea. The number of foreign victims has nearly quadrupled over the past two years. In 2023, there were 5,307 victims, which rose to 19,907 last year. Many of these scams involved K-pop merchandise, preying on fans of Korean pop culture.