The Independent Counsel Office of South Korea (ICO) announced on Friday, August 29th, that former President Yun Suk-yul’s wife, Kim Geon-hee, and former Prime Minister Han Deok-soo have been officially charged. They are accused of bribery, violating financial and political funding laws, and assisting in the government’s martial law declaration at the end of 2024.
According to the ICO, which is in charge of investigating the case involving Kim Geon-hee, she is charged with violating the Capital Markets Act, the Political Funding Act, and the Specific Crimes Aggravated Punishment Act related to brokering bribery. The prosecution alleges that she received luxury items such as brand-name bags, jewelry, and cash from individuals associated with the Unification Church through political and business connections, involving suspected brokerage bribery, and interfering in the capital markets.
This indictment follows the court’s approval of detention orders two weeks ago. If convicted, Kim Geon-hee could face several years in prison.
Kim Geon-hee issued a statement through her lawyer, apologizing once again for “causing concern to the public,” but denying the main charges. She criticized the media for treating unverified suspicions as facts and stated that she will “confront the issues and undergo a serious trial.”
The ICO, responsible for investigating the case of former President Yun Suk-yul and others involved in the internal turmoil, filed charges against former Prime Minister Han Deok-soo on Friday. He is accused of actively assisting in promoting the relevant procedures when Yun Suk-yul declared martial law at the end of 2024, attempting to provide “procedural legitimacy” for martial law through a presidential order during a national security council meeting. Additionally, he is charged with forging and destroying official documents and perjury.
However, the Seoul Central District Court dismissed the ICO’s arrest warrant for Han Deok-soo on Wednesday, August 27, citing a lack of “risk of flight or destruction of evidence.”
On December 3, 2024, then-President Yun Suk-yul declared martial law abruptly in an attempt to break the opposition party’s control of the parliament. Although it lasted only a few hours before being lifted by the parliament, it triggered months of political turmoil, leading to paralysis in domestic and foreign affairs of the government and significant economic losses.
In April of this year, Yun Suk-yul was impeached by the Constitutional Court and arrested again after the conservative faction lost power in the early elections. He is currently on trial for charges including “rebellion.”
In June, the newly inaugurated government of Lee Jae-myung initiated the passage of three special prosecutor laws through parliament, launching a comprehensive investigation by special prosecutors. The investigations not only cover martial law but also include various controversies during Yun’s tenure, such as the suspected concealment of the drowning of a naval soldier during a flood rescue operation in 2023.
To date, dozens of individuals involved in the case have been arrested or charged, including former Minister of Defense Kim Yong-hyun, who is accused of plotting to send troops into the parliament to prevent the lawmakers from voting to lift martial law. Additionally, over 60 people have been separately indicted for their involvement in the clashes outside the Seoul Central District Court in January earlier this year.
(References to related reports from the Associated Press and Reuters were used in this article)