The wife of South Korea’s former president, Yoon Suk Yeol, has been arrested due to multiple charges that include manipulating stocks and accepting bribes. Kim Keon Hee, the former first lady, denied these allegations during a court hearing in Seoul that lasted four hours. Despite her denials, the court issued a warrant for her detainment, citing concerns that she might tamper with evidence.
This situation is unusual in South Korea, known for the prosecution and imprisonment of former presidents. However, this marks the first instance of both a former president and first lady being jailed simultaneously. President Yoon was detained in January for allegedly attempting to impose martial law, which led to turmoil and ultimately resulted in his removal from office.
According to prosecutors, Kim participated in a scheme to manipulate the stock prices of Deutsch Motors, a BMW dealership in South Korea, making around 800 million Korean won ($577,940; £428,000). This alleged activity, which began before her husband’s presidency, continued throughout his time in office, casting a shadow over his administration.
Additionally, she is accused of receiving two Chanel bags and a diamond necklace as bribes from the controversial Unification Church in exchange for business benefits. Kim also allegedly interfered with candidate nominations during the 2022 parliamentary by-elections and last year’s general elections.
At Tuesday’s hearing, Kim appeared subdued, wearing a black suit and skirt. She expressed her apologies for causing trouble, stating she was a person of no consequence. During Yoon’s presidency, he vetoed three opposition-led bills that aimed to investigate allegations against Kim. The last veto was issued just a week before he attempted to declare martial law. A special counsel was established in June this year, following the presidency of Lee Jae Myung.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz71rp7yn05o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
