▲ This undated file photo shows Kim Ye-seong, known to be a close associate of former first lady Kim Keon Hee. (Yonhap)

ex-first lady associate-special counsel

Special counsel appeals acquittal of ex-first lady's associate in embezzlement case

SEOUL, Feb. 11 (Yonhap) -- A special counsel team said Wednesday it appealed against a court's recent acquittal of former first lady Kim Keon Hee's associate over embezzlement charges.

The appeal from special counsel Min Joong-ki's team came after the Seoul Central District Court on Monday found the associate, named Kim Ye-seong, not guilty of embezzling billions of won from his company and dismissed other charges brought against him.

Min's team had sought an eight-year prison term for the associate after indicting him last August on charges of embezzling 2.43 billion won (US$1.67 million) from IMS Mobility, a car rental company he helped establish.

But the court ruled that the associate's charges cannot be presumed to be an act of embezzlement. It also dismissed special prosecutors' indictment of Kim on numerous corruption charges involving his family, saying they are not subject to investigation by the special counsel.

Min's team also said it filed an appeal against the same Seoul court's acquittal of a former prosecutor, named Kim Sang-min, of bribery charges related to the former first lady.

The former prosecutor was indicted on charges of giving a valuable painting to the former first lady in return for her support for his bid to win the People Power Party's nomination for a parliamentary seat in the April 2024 general elections.

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