Presiding Judge in Kim Keon Hee Appeal Found Dead at Seoul High Court

Judge Shin Jong-o, the presiding appellate judge in former South Korean first lady Kim Keon Hee’s criminal case, was found dead early Wednesday at the Seoul High Court compound in southern Seoul, according to Yonhap News Agency. Police said they are investigating the exact cause of death and do not currently suspect criminal foul play.

The death drew immediate attention because Shin had chaired the appellate panel that, just over a week earlier, handed down a major ruling in one of South Korea’s most closely watched political and legal cases. Shin was the presiding judge of Seoul High Court Criminal Division 15-2, which handled Kim’s appeal.

Yonhap reported that Shin was found at about 1 a.m. local time on May 6 on a flower bed inside the court complex. He was 55, according to South Korean media reports.

Police found a handwritten note in his pocket, Yonhap reported. “A hand-written suicide note was found in his pocket, reportedly containing an apology but not mentioning the trial,” Yonhap said. Local reports cited in the research said investigators were treating the case as an unexplained death and interviewing family members.

Authorities have not announced a cause of death. As of the reporting summarized here, no formal statement from the Seoul High Court or the Supreme Court had been reported.

Shin’s panel issued its ruling in Kim’s appeal on April 28, 2026, increasing her sentence from 20 months to four years. The court found Kim guilty of stock-price manipulation and of receiving luxury gifts as bribes. According to Reuters’ report on the ruling, the appellate court said, “Kim exerted her influence as first lady and committed the bribery.”

The case was already moving toward Supreme Court review before Shin’s death. The special counsel filed a petition on May 4, and Kim’s defense had also indicated it would seek further review.

Kim is the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol and served as South Korea’s first lady from 2022 to 2025. Her criminal cases have been among the country’s most high-profile proceedings, making the sudden death of the judge who presided over her appeal a matter of intense public interest.

Police, however, said they do not currently view the case as involving foul play, and no public evidence reported so far has linked Shin’s death to the Kim proceedings.