South Korea’s Ex-President Yoon’s Wife Arrested for Corruption

The wife of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, Kim Keon Hee, has been arrested as authorities investigate her involvement in various corruption allegations, including bribery and stock manipulation. The Seoul Central District Court approved a special prosecutor’s request for an arrest warrant late on Tuesday, citing concerns that Kim might destroy evidence related to the case.

This investigation is part of three special prosecutor probes initiated under the new liberal government led by President Lee Jae Myung. Yoon, a conservative leader, was ousted in April 2023 and rearrested last month for his controversial decision to impose martial law in December 2022, a move that has drawn significant criticism. The couple is notable for being the first former presidential pair in South Korea to face imprisonment simultaneously due to criminal allegations.

The political landscape surrounding Yoon has been tumultuous, with his brief declaration of martial law occurring during a standoff with liberal opponents, whom he labeled as “anti-state” forces. The timing of this power grab has led some critics to speculate whether it was influenced by mounting allegations against Kim, which negatively impacted Yoon’s approval ratings and provided ammunition for political adversaries.

As Kim arrived at the Seoul court for a hearing regarding the warrant request, she did not address reporters but has previously issued a vague apology for the public concern her situation has caused. Currently detained separately from her husband in a facility in southern Seoul, Kim is expected to face further questioning by investigators on Thursday. Authorities can hold her for up to 20 days before formally filing charges.

The investigation, led by Special Prosecutor Min Joong-ki, was initiated after an extensive questioning session where Kim was interrogated for approximately seven hours last week. During this session, she indicated her intention to deny the allegations, referring to herself as “someone insignificant.”

Investigators are probing allegations of undue influence exercised by Kim and Yoon over the conservative People Power Party to endorse a specific candidate during a 2022 legislative by-election. This alleged intervention reportedly involved election broker Myung Tae-kyun, who is accused of manipulating data in opinion surveys that may have aided Yoon’s presidential primary campaign.

Further complicating the matter, Kim faces multiple corruption allegations, including claims that she received luxury gifts through a fortuneteller who acted as an intermediary for a Unification Church official seeking business favors. Additionally, she is linked to a stock price manipulation scheme associated with a local BMW dealership.

On Tuesday, investigators arrested one of Kim’s close associates upon his arrival from Vietnam. This individual is suspected of leveraging his connections to the former first lady to secure significant business investments for his struggling company. The investigation team also conducted a raid on a construction company, focusing on allegations that its chairman purchased a luxury necklace valued at approximately $43,000. This necklace is believed to be the same one Kim wore during a trip to Europe with Yoon in 2022.

While in office, Yoon dismissed calls for an investigation into his wife as politically motivated attacks and vetoed several bills aimed at conducting independent probes into the allegations against her. Following his early presidential election victory in June, President Lee approved legislation to initiate sweeping investigations into Yoon’s martial law decision, the allegations against Kim, and the drowning death of a marine during a flood rescue operation, which liberals assert Yoon’s government attempted to cover up.

Yoon’s martial law decree was short-lived, lasting only hours after lawmakers voted to revoke it amid protests. He was impeached on December 14, 2022, and the Constitutional Court formally removed him from office in April 2023. Facing serious charges, including rebellion, Yoon was sent back to prison last month after a brief release in March and has consistently resisted investigators’ attempts to compel him to answer questions regarding his wife’s situation.