(LEAD) PPP lawmaker-trial

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with details)

SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- A Seoul district court on Friday acquitted a lawmaker of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) of anti-graft charges over a luxury bag gifted to former first lady Kim Keon Hee.

The Seoul Central District Court found Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon not guilty of violating the anti-graft law over the Roger Vivier clutch bag his wife gave to the then first lady, wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, in March 2023.

Special counsel Min Joong-ki's team had sought a one-year prison sentence for the lawmaker, accusing the couple of gifting the bag worth 2.67 million won (US$2,000) in return for her support in his election as the PPP's leader earlier that month.

The court, however, convicted the lawmaker's wife of the charges, sentencing her to a fine of 5 million won. Min's team had sought a six-month prison term for Kim's wife.

The court rejected arguments by Kim's wife that the clutch bag was merely a customary gift, ruling that it constituted a violation of the anti-graft law given the former first lady's position.

It also rejected the special counsel team's argument that the couple had conspired to gift the bag, citing the lack of evidence to substantiate such an allegation and noting that it could not rule out the possibility of the lawmaker's wife delivering the bag without her husband's knowledge.

The former first lady, who has been convicted in separate corruption cases, earlier said she had received the bag but noted that she had no memory of accepting it in person.

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