On Thursday, August 7th, the independent prosecution team responsible for investigating the corruption allegations against former South Korean First Lady Kim Keon Hee announced that they had filed a request for an arrest warrant in court on the same day.
After South Korea’s former president Yun Seok-yeol stepped down in April this year following the declaration of martial law, the National Assembly appointed two special prosecutors to investigate both Yun Seok-yeol and Kim Keon Hee.
According to reports from Yonhap News Agency, Kim Keon Hee visited the special prosecutor’s office for the first time on August 6th to undergo questioning. The allegations against Kim Keon Hee include manipulation of stock prices of a German car company, intervention in elections, and accepting bribes from lobbyists. This marks the first public appearance of a former South Korean First Lady and being under the media spotlight.
The special prosecutors may question Kim Keon Hee regarding the omission in her asset declaration related to a luxury brand necklace she wore while accompanying Yun Seok-yeol to the NATO summit in June 2022.
Kim Keon Hee answered the questions from the special prosecutors but denied the allegations against her.
The lawyers representing Kim Keon Hee denied all accusations against her.
The special prosecutors did not immediately provide details about the arrest warrant application.