Presiding judge of ex-first lady's appeals trial found dead

The presiding judge of former first lady Kim Keon Hee's appeals trial on corruption charges was found dead outside a Seoul court early Wednesday, officials said.

Police discovered judge Shin Jong-o's body on a flower bed at the Seoul High Court compound in southern Seoul at around 1 a.m. after receiving a report about an hour earlier.

A hand-written suicide note was found in his pocket, reportedly containing an apology but not mentioning the trial.

Police do not suspect foul play but are investigating the exact cause of his death, giving weight to the possibility that he fell to his death.

Shin presided over the appellate trial of Kim, the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, at the Seoul High Court following her conviction by a lower court in January.

Last month, the appellate court raised her sentence to four years from 20 months in prison, finding her partially guilty of involvement in a stock price manipulation scheme and guilty of accepting luxury gifts from the Unification Church.

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This story was originally published May 5, 2026 at 11:59 PM.