Like a K-Drama, Judge in Corruption Case Against Former South Korean First Lady Found Dead

A South Korean judge handling the case of former First Lady Kim Keon Hee was found dead on Wednesday (6/5/2026) local time. Judge Shin Jong-o was discovered unconscious around 1:00 a.m. at the Seoul High Court building. He was rushed to hospital but was declared dead, according to AFP. “He was found unconscious around 1:00 a.m…. at the Seoul High Court building,” said an investigator from the Seocho District Police Office. Meanwhile, police statements indicate no signs of criminal activity in the incident. The police also conveyed that the bereaved family is still in mourning. “The grieving family is deeply affected by the incident,” the investigator said, asking the public to respect the family’s privacy. Several local media outlets reported that Shin left a suicide note. However, the investigator denied the report and confirmed that no such document was found. Shin’s name came under public scrutiny after he led the appeal hearing in Kim Keon Hee’s case, the wife of South Korea’s 13th former President Yoon Suk Yeol. In last month’s ruling, he found Kim guilty of stock manipulation and bribery, and increased her sentence to four years in prison from the previous 20 months. The ruling also overturned the first-instance court’s acquittal in the stock manipulation case. In his considerations, Shin assessed that Kim showed no remorse for her actions. “The defendant failed to acknowledge her mistakes and instead continuously sought excuses,” he stated.