South Korean Judge who convicted former first lady found dead days after ruling

Thursday, May 7, 2026 - A judge who presided over the appeals trial that sentenced South Korea’s former first lady Kim Keon Hee to four years’ jail has been found de@d.

South Korean police discovered the d£ceased, Shin Jong-o, on a flower bed near the Seoul High Court compound in southern Seoul on May 6 at about 1:00 am after being alerted to a report an hour prior, The Korea Times reported.

Shin was taken to the hospital and pronounced de@d, he said, adding: "There is no sign of foul play in the death."

A handwritten suicide note was reportedly found on the judge’s body.

"I am sorry. I am leaving by my own choice," the note reportedly read.

It made no mention of the appeals trial involving Kim.

He was believed to have fallen from a building, The Korea Herald reported.

Last month, Shin presided over 53-year-old Kim Keon Hee's appeal trial, finding her guilty of stock manipulation and bribery, and increasing her sentence to four years from 20 months.

The heavier sentence came after her acquittal by a lower court on the stock manipulation charge was overturned.

The confiscation of a necklace worth 62.2 million won (S$54,316.59) and an additional forfeiture of 20.94 million won (S$18,286) were ordered.

Shin said at the time that Kim had "failed to acknowledge her culpability and has instead consistently resorted to excuses."

The police investigator said on Wednesday that the judge's "bereaved family is stricken by the incident" and requests privacy.

Shin graduated from Seoul National University’s College of Law in 1995, The Chosun Daily reported.

He passed the bar exam the same year and completed the 27th class of the Judicial Research and Training Institute in 1998.

Shin was appointed as a judge at the Seoul High Court in 2010.