The wife of South Korea's incarcerated ex-president, Yoon Suk Yeol, has been taken into custody following multiple charges, including stock manipulation and bribery. During a lengthy four-hour court session in Seoul on Tuesday, former First Lady Kim Keon Hee vehemently denied all allegations. Nevertheless, the court granted a detention warrant, emphasizing concerns over her potential to destroy critical evidence.
South Korea's political landscape has seen numerous former leaders indicted and imprisoned; however, this situation is unprecedented as both the ex-president and first lady find themselves behind bars. Yoon was arrested in January after attempting to impose martial law last year, an act that resulted in widespread unrest and ultimately led to his removal from office.
Prosecutors allege that Kim, aged 52, gained more than 800 million won ($577,940) by engaging in a stock price-rigging scheme tied to Deutsch Motors, a BMW dealership in South Korea. While these activities reportedly occurred prior to her husband's election, they cast a long shadow over his administration. Additionally, she stands accused of accepting luxury items, including two Chanel bags and a diamond necklace, as bribes from the controversial Unification Church in exchange for favorable business dealings.
Kim is also alleged to have interfered in candidate nominations for the 2022 parliamentary by-elections and the 2023 general elections. Dressed in a somber black suit and skirt during the court hearing, Kim expressed remorse, stating to reporters, “I sincerely apologize for causing trouble despite being a person of no importance.”
During his presidency, Yoon vetoed three opposition-led proposals aimed at investigating the allegations against Kim. His last veto occurred in November, just a week before he declared a martial law attempt. A special counsel investigation was initiated in June this year following the election of his rival, Lee Jae Myung, to the presidency.
