윤석열·김건희 변호인 “21억 영치금은 격려·연대 뜻” 반박

Former President 윤석열 and First Lady 김건희 received a total of 21.9 billion South Korean won in 영치금, or "blessings money," from citizens, according to a recent report. Their legal representatives, 유정화 변호사, have denied the allegations, stating that the 영치금 was not a lump sum from a corporation or special background but a voluntary show of support from millions of citizens. 변호사 emphasized that the 영치금 was a "voluntary act of encouragement and unity" from citizens across the nation, donating anywhere from 10,000 to 20,000 won each.

The 윤석열 and 김건희 couple received a combined total of 21.9 billion won, equivalent to around 8 times the current president's annual salary. 영치금 are generally taxable, but personal donations below 50 million won are tax-exempt. 변호사 argued that 영치금 could be legitimately used for the defense of the duo, stating that it is a "legitimate and lawful exercise of the right to defense" necessary for handling numerous trials. 유 변호사 criticized the opposition party for "wizardry against justice" by using 영치금 as a political tool during the committee's review of the government's audit.