Seoul: Former first lady Kim Keon Hee issued an apology on Wednesday for causing public concern as she appeared for questioning by a special counsel regarding allegations of stock manipulation, election interference, and other charges. The wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is currently incarcerated, arrived at special counsel Min Joong-ki's office slightly later than scheduled, marking a historical first as the spouse of a former or sitting president to appear publicly as a suspect in a criminal investigation.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim is accused of being involved in a stock price manipulation scheme with Deutsch Motors, a BMW dealer in South Korea, between 2009 and 2012. She is also suspected of interfering in candidate nominations for the 2022 parliamentary by-elections and the upcoming 2024 general elections, as well as allegedly receiving luxury gifts from the Unification Church through a shaman in exchange for business favors.
The special counsel team is investigating a total of 16 criminal allegations against Kim, suggesting that further questioning may be necessary. Among the allegations are claims that Kim failed to disclose a high-end necklace during a trip to Spain in 2022 and that Yoon made false statements about her involvement in the stock manipulation during the 2021 presidential primaries.
Additional suspicions include a possible link between the couple's unexpected visit to Ukraine in 2023 and a significant rise in the share price of a midsized construction company. There are also allegations that the endpoint of an expressway project was altered to benefit land owned by Kim's family in Yangpyeong, near Seoul, and that her family received preferential treatment in an apartment construction project.
The interrogation session lasted 1 1/2 hours before breaking for lunch and continued in the afternoon without video recording, as requested by Kim's representatives. The special counsel team has not specified when the questioning will conclude, refuting reports that it would end at 6 p.m. as per Kim's legal team's request. Should the session extend beyond 9 p.m., the team must obtain Kim's consent.
Outside the office, demonstrators both supporting and opposing the former presidential couple gathered from early morning, braving the rain to voice their stances. Historically, two other former first ladies have also faced investigations. In 2004, Lee Soon-ja, wife of former President Chun Doo-hwan, was questioned in a slush fund case, and in 2009, Kwon Yang-sook, wife of former President Roh Moo-hyun, was questioned in a corruption case.