Court decrees arrest of Yoon Suk Yeol's spouse, currently a free woman
The former first lady of South Korea, Kim Keon-hee, has been arrested on multiple corruption charges, including bribery, stock manipulation, and interference in political selections during her husband's presidency.
The arrest warrant was issued by the Seoul Central District Court following a seven-hour interrogation of Kim by the investigation team led by Special Prosecutor Min Joong-ki last week.
The allegations against Kim include stock price manipulation related to Deutsch Motors shares, corruption linked to her company, Covana Contents, improper financial benefits, political meddling, and falsification of her academic and award history.
Kim has publicly apologized for falsifying parts of her academic and award history but has denied the corruption charges. However, the special prosecutors' investigation and court warrant led to her detention.
During her time in office, her husband, Yoon Suk Yeol, repeatedly dismissed calls to investigate his wife, denouncing them as baseless political attacks. Yoon was removed from office in April and rearrested last month following a constitutional crisis triggered by his brief martial law attempt.
Kim will be held at a detention center in southern Seoul, separate from the facility holding Yoon. This marks an unprecedented situation in South Korea’s history, where both a former president and their spouse are simultaneously incarcerated.
Investigators suspect that Kim and Yoon exerted undue influence on the conservative People Power Party to nominate a specific candidate in a 2022 legislative by-election. Kim is also linked to multiple corruption allegations, including claims of receiving luxury gifts via a fortuneteller.
Yoon Suk Yeol's power grab came amid allegations against his wife, which hurt his approval ratings and provided political ammunition to his rivals. The investigation into Kim Keon-hee is one of three special prosecutor probes targeting the presidency of Yoon Suk Yeol.
References:
- BBC News
- The Guardian
- CNN
- Reuters
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