In a recent YouTube Shorts from the channel 'newstomatoTV', attorney Kim Pil-seong analyzed the contrasting sentences of Choi Soon-sil (18 years) and Kim Keon-hee (4 years), attributing the disparity to the presence or absence of a protective shield.
The attorney highlighted two key legal issues in the first trial ruling regarding Kim Keon-hee. First, the court fragmented a series of bribes into separate incidents, deviating from the Supreme Court's precedent of aggregating multiple bribes given for a single purpose, which typically results in a heavier sentence. Second, the court accepted the defense that the provision of money and gifts to the spouse of the president-elect was merely a congratulatory gesture without any request for favors. This contradicts the legal principle established in the case of former President Roh Moo-hyun, where a president's broad authority over public officials means that any receipt of money can be construed as a bribe.
The attorney argued that Kim Keon-hee's relatively light sentence is due to the continued existence of a protective shield, whereas Choi Soon-sil had no such protection. He expressed concern that the investigation into Kim Keon-hee's affairs may be hampered because many involved in what he called a 'pro-coup' still hold high public office. He urged the public to remain vigilant.