Seoul: Former first lady Kim Keon Hee appeared before a special counsel Wednesday to be questioned about her alleged involvement in stock manipulation schemes, election meddling, and other allegations. The wife of jailed former President Yoon Suk Yeol arrived at special counsel Min Joong-ki's office 10 minutes later than scheduled, becoming the first spouse of a former or sitting president to publicly appear as a suspect in a criminal investigation.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim faces allegations of participating in a stock price manipulation scheme involving Deutsch Motors, a BMW dealer in South Korea, from 2009 to 2012. She is also accused of meddling in candidate nominations for the 2022 parliamentary by-elections and the 2024 general elections. Additionally, Kim is alleged to have received luxury gifts from the Unification Church through a shaman in exchange for business favors.
The special counsel team is tasked with investigating a total of 16 criminal allegations against the former first lady, making it likely she will be summoned again for further questioning. This unprecedented public appearance marks a significant moment in South Korea's legal and political landscape, as no other spouse of a former or sitting president has been publicly investigated in such a manner.
Historically, former President Chun Doo-hwan's wife, Lee Soon-ja, was questioned by prosecutors in a slush fund case in 2004, but the fact only became known afterward. Similarly, in 2009, former President Roh Moo-hyun's wife, Kwon Yang-sook, was questioned by prosecutors as a witness in a corruption case, but this was revealed the next day. Kim Keon Hee's case represents a departure from these past incidents due to its immediate public disclosure.