South Korea’s Ex-First Lady Kim Keon Hee Arrested Amid Sweeping Corruption Probe

Seoul, South Korea — Kim Keon Hee, the wife of South Korea’s jailed former President Yoon Suk Yeol, has been arrested following a special prosecutor’s request, as investigators push forward with charges related to a litany of alleged crimes including bribery, stock manipulation, and political meddling. A Seoul Central District Court granted the arrest warrant late Tuesday, citing concerns that Kim Keon Hee posed a risk of evidence destruction.

This arrest marks a significant development in one of three special prosecutor probes initiated by Seoul’s new liberal government targeting the former conservative Yoon administration. Kim is currently being held at a detention center in southern Seoul, separate from her husband, and is anticipated to undergo further questioning by investigators on Thursday. Her detention can be extended for up to 20 days before formal charges are filed.

The investigation, led by Special Prosecutor Min Joong-ki, appointed in June by President Lee Jae Myung, intensified after Kim was questioned for approximately seven hours last Wednesday. Upon her appearance for that questioning, Kim offered a vague apology for causing public concern but hinted at denying the serious allegations.

Among the accusations, investigators suspect Kim and Yoon improperly influenced the People Power Party to nominate a specific candidate in a 2022 legislative by-election, allegedly at the behest of election broker Myung Tae-kyun. Kim is also implicated in receiving luxury gifts through an intermediary linked to the Unification Church and potential involvement in a stock price manipulation scheme connected to a local BMW dealership. Earlier this week, Min’s team also arrested a close associate of Kim’s arriving from Vietnam, investigating claims he leveraged his connection to the former first lady for business investments. On Monday, a construction company was raided regarding a luxury necklace Kim allegedly wore, suspected to be a bribe.

The simultaneous jailing of Yoon and Kim on criminal allegations is unprecedented, extending South Korea’s history of presidencies ending in disgrace. Yoon himself was removed from office in April and rearrested last month following a brief imposition of martial law in December. New President Lee Jae Myung, who won an early election in June, has since approved legislation for comprehensive special investigations into Yoon’s martial law actions, the allegations against his wife, and a 2023 marine drowning incident.

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