Unraveling the Drama Surrounding Kim Keon Hee: Former First Lady at the Heart of a Storm
Prosecutor suggests it's probable that the former First Lady will undergo direct interrogation.
The limelight is once again shining on Kim Keon Hee, the ex-first lady of South Korea and the better half of the ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol. The current wave of headlines centers around her health, ongoing legal interrogations, and a special investigation that's busy unveiling some secrets.
Straight to the Hospital
Kim found herself at Asan Medical Center in Seoul, being admitted on Monday, June 16, due to some serious bouts of depression. Previously, she had been seeking psychiatric care on an outpatient basis, but her condition took a turn for the worse, necessitating hospitalization. In addition to the depression, she was also experiencing symptoms of hyperventilation, prompting her to receive treatment from the pulmonology department as well. Her partner, Yoon Suk Yeol, made a visit to the hospital following his court hearing to stand by her side [1][4][2].
A Health Crisis Amid a Legal Storm
Rumors about Kim's health first surfaced in November 2024, when allegations of influence peddling in the 2022 parliamentary by-elections came to light. Since then, her condition has reportedly continued to deteriorate, with her failing to comply with a summons from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office earlier this month due to health issues [2][4].
The Special Investigation Rolls On
President Lee Jae Myung recently greenlighted an independent probe, led by the tenacious Min Joong-ki, into allegations against Kim Keon Hee. Some of these include stock price manipulation, unlawfully accepting a luxury bag, and meddling with the by-election nomination process [4][2].
Secure Calls Raise Eyebrows
Kim faces intense scrutiny after it was disclosed that she utilized a secure presidential phone line to converse with a senior presidential aide just weeks before she was due to be questioned by prosecutors in a high-profile stock manipulation and bribery investigation last year. With almost 30 minutes of calls, suspicions of potential influence on the legal process have arisen, making their way into the ongoing independent counsel investigation [3].
Unraveling the Threads
Allegations against Kim and potential involvement in state affairs have shed light on potential prosecutorial leniency, especially considering the previous charges against her were dropped in the Deutsch Motors stock manipulation case [3][4].
| Date/Update | Developments/Actions | Details/Implications ||-----------------|------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|| June 16, 2025 | Hospitalized at Asan Medical Center | Severe depression, hyperventilation symptoms || Mid-June 2025 | Special probe approved by President Lee Jae Myung | Investigates stock manipulation, luxury bag, election interference || June 17, 2025 | Scrutiny over secure phone calls with presidential aide | Calls made before prosecutor questioning; legal interference suspected || Since Nov. 2024 | Health decline amid legal pressures | Cited health reasons for not complying with summons |
Kim Keon Hee finds herself amidst a whirlwind of legal scrutiny while grappling with significant health issues that seem to have worsened during the unfolding investigations. Turn the page to unveil more twists and turns in this captivating drama.
- The ongoing legal interrogations for Kim Keon Hee, former First Lady of South Korea, involve not only stock manipulation and influence peddling but also the allegation of unlawfully accepting a luxury bag, all part of an independent investigation that has put her at the center of politics, general-news, and crime-and-justice headlines.
- As Kim Keon Hee currently faces a health crisis, having been hospitalized due to severe depression and hyperventilation symptoms, she is under intense scrutiny for her use of a secure presidential phone line to converse with a senior presidential aide, raising suspicions of possible influence on the legal process and adding another layer to the complex tapestry of this tumultuous political drama.
