
Special counsel raids shaman linked to ex-first lady Kim
The team sent prosecutors and investigators to the office of shaman Jeon Seong-bae, also known as Geon Jin, in Yeoksam-dong, southern Seoul, in the morning to secure documents and computer files related to his suspected delivery of gifts to Kim.
Jeon is suspected of receiving a diamond necklace and an expensive bag from a high-ranking Unification Church official between April and August of 2022, soon after Yoon Suk Yeol's election as president in March of the same year, and delivering the gifts to Kim.
The church official reportedly demanded some business favors from the Yoon government in return for the alleged gifts. Jeon has said he received the gifts but lost them all. (Yonhap)

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Korea Herald
35 minutes ago
- Korea Herald
What Chung Dong-young's return as point man signals for N. Korea policy
Chung Dong-young, tapped as the first unification minister under the Lee Jae Myung administration, has signaled a sharp turn toward a conciliatory doctrine grounded in dialogue, mutual restraint and a softened military posture. The confirmation hearing for Chung on Monday offered more than a preview of his personal stance on inter-Korean affairs — it provided a window into the likely trajectory of Seoul's North Korea policy under the new liberal government. Chung laid out a vision that departs markedly from the previous conservative Yoon Suk Yeol administration's hard-line North Korea policy — a shift rooted in his rejection of the prior framing of North Korea. 'I do not agree,' Chung said when asked directly whether North Korea should be viewed as South Korea's 'main enemy.' Chung, who served as unification minister in 2004 and 2005 under then-President Roh Moo-hyun, instead defined North Korea as a 'threat.' 'I believe it is the role of our government to create conditions where there is no need for North Korea to launch anything (such as missiles or artillery shells) — and that is fully achievable,' Chung said. Blaming Yoon for provocations Asked about the reasons behind North Korea's defining inter-Korean ties as hostile and belligerent, including its designation of South Korea as the 'principal enemy,' Chung pointed to the conservative Yoon Suk Yeol administration's hard-line North Korea policy. "Everything is mutually reactive. North Korea's definition of two hostile states is, in my view, a result of both sides taking hard-line positions,' Chung said. 'I see it as North Korea's response to the South Korean government's labeling of North Korea as the main enemy and its rhetoric around launching preemptive strikes." Chung went further, partially attributing North Korea's 2010 provocations — the Cheonan sinking and the shelling of the island of Yeonpyeongdo, both of which cost South Korean lives — to the conservative Lee Myung-bak administration's hard-line posture at the time. "First of all, in my opinion, North Korea's response changed as the reconciliation and cooperation policy pursued during the 10 years under Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun underwent a complete reversal,' Chung said. Chung reiterated that North Korea's response was based on a 'principle of hard-line meets hard-line — strength for strength." When asked whether the Lee Myung-bak administration's hard-line policy had partly provoked North Korea's 2010 attacks, Chung answered: 'Yes, that's correct.' Ditching Yoon's doctrine Chung also pledged to 'scrap' the unification doctrine of disgraced former President Yoon, which was unveiled on Aug. 15, 2024, on the occasion of National Liberation Day. The doctrine, which emphasized 'freedom-based unification,' prioritized freedom and human rights in North Korea. 'That has failed,' Chung said, arguing that it squarely defies the 1989 National Community Unification Formula, which was based on acknowledging and respecting North Korea's system. 'What is 'liberation of North Korean residents through freedom' if not absorption or unification through collapse?' Chung defined Yoon's Aug. 15 unification doctrine as 'born of hostility and hatred.' Chung further underscored, 'Using North Korean human rights as an offensive tool against the North Korean regime is not appropriate.' 'If, for example, the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea were to enact a 'South Korean Human Rights Act' and begin intervening in South Korea's human rights issues, how would we view that?' Chung said, referring to North Korea's rubber-stamp parliament. 'That would be a direct violation of Article 2 of the Inter-Korean Basic Agreement, which states that the South and the North shall not interfere in each other's internal affairs.' Fewer drills, more dialogue? Chung also supported scaling back large-scale field training exercises, which were unilaterally suspended by US President Donald Trump in June 2018, following his first meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his first term. 'The combined exercises are intended to reduce North Korea's threats and ensure peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. In that sense, I don't believe staging exercises themselves are the ultimate objective. 'If adopting a flexible approach to military exercises can help ease tensions and improve inter-Korean relations, then it's certainly something worth discussing.' Chung explained the allies can focus on conducting command post exercises based on computer simulations without a field training component, as they did during the Moon Jae-in administration from 2017 to 2022. On regaining wartime operational control from the US, Chung said it was 'a natural step for an independent and sovereign nation,' but added that doing so within the next five years may be unrealistic. However, Chung gave an affirmative response when asked about the necessity of the stationing of US Forces Korea. "The consistent position of successive Democratic Party administrations has been that the presence of US forces in South Korea is necessary for the long-term stability and balance of Northeast Asia,' he said. Concerning the idea of South Korea's independent nuclear armament, Chung disagreed. 'It's unrealistic. How could we possibly acquire nuclear weapons? Would we break the alliance? How would we persuade the US?'


Korea Herald
2 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Shaman's office searched over alleged gifts for Kim Keon Hee
Special counsel expands investigation into ex-first lady's corruption ties with shaman A special counsel team led by Min Joong-ki to look into allegations surrounding former first lady Kim Keon Hee carried out a search and seizure operation on Tuesday at the office of the shaman Jeon Seong-bae, also known as Geon Jin, in Gangnam, southern Seoul, as part of an investigation into suspected corruption ties. The special counsel team reportedly dispatched prosecutors and investigators to secure evidence, including documents and digital data, related to Jeon's alleged violation of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act and his alleged connection to Kim. Tuesday's raid by the special counsel is also seen as a continuation of the prosecution's past efforts to look into luxury handbags linked to accusations of bribery against Kim. The Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office previously investigated the shaman and a high-ranking Unification Church official, surnamed Yoon, who reportedly claimed that he gave a diamond necklace estimated to be worth 60 million won ($43,000) and luxury handbags of unknown value to Jeon, allegedly as a gift for the former first lady after Yoon Suk Yeol won the presidential election in 2022. The church official is suspected of lobbying the former presidential couple through Jeon in order to gain support for projects in the church's interests, including business operations in Cambodia. Two Chanel handbags were reportedly delivered to Kim's former aide Yoo Kyung-ok, who tried to exchange the handbags for models that would better appeal to young people on Jeon's advice. The first lady's attorneys have admitted that Yoo received the Chanel bags due to the shaman's insistence. But they say that Kim never received them, denying the former first lady had any connection to the matter. Jeon also testified in the prosecution's investigation in May that the luxury bags that were handed over to Yoo were not delivered to Kim. But the shaman claimed he lost the bags after retrieving them from Yoo. Jeon, who served in a lesser leadership role on Yoon's campaign team during the 2022 presidential election and is believed to have been involved in decision-making, has also been accused of flaunting personal connections with the former presidential couple to influence business interests in the past. The Unification Church official surnamed Yoon was one of those who sent Jeon a bundle of cash — amounting to 30 million won — under the pretext of a 'prayer fee.' The special counsel is expected to look into the nature of the relationship between Jeon and the former first lady after analyzing the items collected in Tuesday's search and seizure.


Korea Herald
2 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Industry minister nominee pushes Korean take on US Inflation Reduction Act
Kim Jung-kwan calls for bold industrial policy to match US, China as tech rivalry intensifies Kim Jung-kwan, the first nominee for industry minister under the Lee Jae Myung administration, has pledged to introduce a production-linked tax incentive system for key industries such as semiconductors and batteries, modeled after the US Inflation Reduction Act. In a written response submitted to the National Assembly ahead of his confirmation hearing this week, Kim emphasized the need for aggressive government support that matches policies implemented by competing nations. 'It is time for strategic and proactive government-led industrial policies, including incentives that do not fall behind those of competing nations, in order to minimize trade risks,' Kim stated. He noted that while semiconductors remain a core pillar of Korea's industrial and economic security, the country's leadership in memory chips is being challenged by Chinese and US firms, and its capabilities in logic chips remain relatively weak. 'We need bold semiconductor policies to strengthen our global leadership and stabilize our domestic manufacturing base,' Kim said, adding that tax and fiscal support for the sector will be expanded. Addressing the battery sector, Kim acknowledged current difficulties stemming from a temporary slowdown in electric vehicle demand and the rapid rise of Chinese competitors. He said the government will consider introducing production tax credits for key minerals and materials to expand incentives for domestic manufacturing and strengthen the battery supply chain. Kim's vision for production tax credits involves a system that offers tax deductions based on production volume, effectively functioning as subsidies linked to output. The US has implemented similar 'Advanced Manufacturing Production Credits' under the IRA to support strategic industries such as batteries, solar panels and clean fuels. In Korea, companies operating in sectors designated as national strategic technologies, such as semiconductors and batteries, are currently eligible for one-time tax credits of up to 25 percent for facility and research and development investments. Unlike these investment-based incentives, Kim's proposed scheme would serve as a more direct benefit by offering tax credits on a portion of production costs. If implemented, leading chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are projected to receive annual tax reductions of between 4 trillion won and 5 trillion won ($2.9 billion and $3.6 billion). President Lee had also pledged during his campaign to push for production tax credits of up to 10 percent for semiconductors. After taking office, he reportedly expanded the plan to include the battery sector, initiating internal reviews. In his statement, Kim also vowed to expand the government budget for renewable energy. 'Expanding renewable energy is an urgent task for achieving carbon neutrality, enhancing energy security and creating new growth drivers,' he said, pledging to improve the overall environment for renewable energy deployment including identifying new project sites, securing grid connectivity and increasing public acceptance. At the same time, Kim expressed support for nuclear energy, stressing the importance of a balanced energy mix of carbon-free sources to ensure a stable power supply and meet South Korea's greenhouse gas reduction targets under the Nationally Determined Contribution framework. He also pledged to boost Korea's long-term technological competitiveness by developing Korean-style small modular reactors and next-generation nuclear fuels, while expanding exports of nuclear equipment and supporting small and mid-sized exporters in the sector. On the issue of extended tariff negotiations with the US, set to conclude by Aug. 1, Kim said he would work toward a mutually beneficial outcome and use the talks as an opportunity to develop a bilateral manufacturing cooperation roadmap. 'In the face of US tariff measures and global supply chain shifts, I will do my utmost as Korea's 'export frontrunner' to strengthen our export competitiveness in key industries and open up new markets,' he said. Kim, a former official at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, most recently served as head of marketing at Doosan Enerbility, a major power equipment builder. Since his nomination, he has divested all holdings in companies that could present potential conflicts of interest, including shares in Doosan.