Seoul: A regional court has fined Kim Hye-kyung, the wife of opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, 1.5 million won (US$1,066) for violating election laws by providing free meals during her husband's campaign for the 2022 presidential election. The court's decision was announced on Thursday, following Kim's indictment for offering meals worth 104,000 won to the wives of three former and current party lawmakers and three aides at a Seoul restaurant in August 2021. According to Yonhap News Agency, the meals were allegedly paid for using a corporate card from the Gyeonggi regional government, where Lee Jae-myung served as governor at the time. The Suwon District Court found Kim guilty of instructing her secretary, identified by the surname Bae, to cover the meal expenses, highlighting the act as a risk to election fairness and transparency. The court criticized Kim for denying the crime and attempting to shift the blame onto Bae. The prosecution had originally sought a 3 million won fine for Kim. Despite the court's ruling, Kim's legal representation intends to appeal, labeling the verdict as a "guilty conviction based on assumption." Should the ruling be finalized, Kim would face a five-year ban from participating in election campaigns, per the Public Official Election Act. This restriction could impact her involvement in any future presidential campaigns her husband might pursue.