South Korean Judge in Ex-First Lady Case Found Dead in Seoul

Seoul- A South Korean judge who recently increased the prison sentence of former first lady Kim Keon Hee was found dead early Wednesday at a court building in Seoul, police said.Judge Shin Jong-o was discovered unconscious at around 1:00 a.m.

inside the Seoul High Court and was later pronounced dead at a hospital, according to an investigator at Seocho district police station.Authorities said there were no immediate signs of foul play. Local media reported the possibility of a suicide note, but police said none had been confirmed.

Shin last month presided over the appeal trial of Kim, 53, overturning parts of a lower court ruling and increasing her sentence to four years from 20 months after finding her guilty of stock manipulation and bribery.

In his ruling, Shin said Kim had “failed to acknowledge her culpability” and had relied on excuses, justifying the harsher sentence.

Police said the judge’s family had requested privacy following the incident, adding that an investigation into the circumstances of his death was ongoing.