Seoul:<Text>

The ex-husband of Lee Boo-jin, the eldest daughter of the late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee, is currently serving a one-year prison sentence for deceiving authorities in a complex case involving his shaman girlfriend. Legal sources disclosed that Im Woo-jae, formerly a consultant at Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., was convicted of obstructing official duties by deception. This verdict stems from his efforts to protect his girlfriend, who orchestrated a scheme that led to the confinement and assault of an elderly woman.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the case unfolded last April when an elderly woman in her 80s was confined and beaten by her grandson in Yeoncheon, approximately 60 kilometers north of Seoul. Authorities discovered that Im's girlfriend, a shaman, was behind the assault, aiming to extract an apology from the grandson's father. The conflict arose from a disagreement regarding land transactions, which the father refused to conduct as advised by t he shaman.

The man involved in the land transaction issue was an acquaintance of Im. He had facilitated long-term lodging for Im and his girlfriend at his guest house in Yeoncheon around 2023. The situation escalated when the elderly woman managed to escape and report the incident to the police. This action triggered an investigation during which the shaman attempted a suicide ploy involving the victim's granddaughter.

Surveillance footage captured Im, his girlfriend, and the granddaughter traveling together in a car, leading to further scrutiny. During sentencing, the judge concluded that Im was likely aware of the assault on the elderly woman, as he interacted with her post-incident and verbally abused her. Im is currently appealing the ruling with an appellate trial underway.

The court also sentenced Im's girlfriend to six years in prison, while the grandson received a three-year term.