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Wednesday, Aug 13, 2025
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South Korean court orders arrest of former First Lady Kim Keon Hee on bribery and corruption allegations
Kim Keon Hee, wife of jailed ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol, is accused of bribery, stock manipulation, and political interference, marking the first time a South Korean presidential couple has been simultaneously arrested.
A South Korean court has ordered the arrest of Kim Keon Hee, the wife of jailed former President Yoon Suk Yeol, on multiple criminal allegations including bribery, stock manipulation, and interference in candidate selection.
The Seoul Central District Court issued the arrest warrant late Tuesday, and Kim was transferred to a detention facility in southern Seoul, separate from the one holding her husband.
The investigation into Kim is one of three special prosecutor-led probes launched under the liberal government of President Lee Jae Myung, targeting events during Yoon’s presidency.
Yoon, a conservative, was removed from office in April and rearrested in July over his brief imposition of martial law in December.
His December 3 action came during a political standoff with the liberal-controlled legislature, which he accused of obstructing his agenda.
Kim appeared at the court on Tuesday for a hearing on the arrest request but did not speak to the press.
Last week, she was questioned for approximately seven hours by the investigation team led by Special Prosecutor Min Joong-ki.
At that time, she made a brief public statement apologising for causing concern but indicated she would deny the allegations, describing herself as “someone insignificant.”
Prosecutors suspect that Kim and Yoon exerted influence on the conservative People Power Party to secure the nomination of a specific candidate in a 2022 legislative by-election at the request of election broker Myung Tae-kyun.
Myung is accused of conducting manipulated opinion surveys for Yoon, which may have aided his victory in the party’s presidential primaries.
Separate allegations against Kim include claims that she accepted luxury gifts via a fortuneteller acting as an intermediary for a Unification Church official seeking business advantages, as well as possible involvement in a stock price manipulation scheme linked to a local BMW dealership.
While in office, Yoon dismissed calls for an investigation into his wife, rejecting them as unfounded political attacks.
The Seoul Central District Court issued the arrest warrant late Tuesday, and Kim was transferred to a detention facility in southern Seoul, separate from the one holding her husband.
The investigation into Kim is one of three special prosecutor-led probes launched under the liberal government of President Lee Jae Myung, targeting events during Yoon’s presidency.
Yoon, a conservative, was removed from office in April and rearrested in July over his brief imposition of martial law in December.
His December 3 action came during a political standoff with the liberal-controlled legislature, which he accused of obstructing his agenda.
Kim appeared at the court on Tuesday for a hearing on the arrest request but did not speak to the press.
Last week, she was questioned for approximately seven hours by the investigation team led by Special Prosecutor Min Joong-ki.
At that time, she made a brief public statement apologising for causing concern but indicated she would deny the allegations, describing herself as “someone insignificant.”
Prosecutors suspect that Kim and Yoon exerted influence on the conservative People Power Party to secure the nomination of a specific candidate in a 2022 legislative by-election at the request of election broker Myung Tae-kyun.
Myung is accused of conducting manipulated opinion surveys for Yoon, which may have aided his victory in the party’s presidential primaries.
Separate allegations against Kim include claims that she accepted luxury gifts via a fortuneteller acting as an intermediary for a Unification Church official seeking business advantages, as well as possible involvement in a stock price manipulation scheme linked to a local BMW dealership.
While in office, Yoon dismissed calls for an investigation into his wife, rejecting them as unfounded political attacks.
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