Latest news with #ImproperSolicitationandGraftAct
Korea Herald
15-07-2025
- Politics
- 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
11-06-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Star English teacher referred to prosecution over mock exam question scandal
Cho Jung-sik, a high-profile English-language instructor affiliated with the private academy Megastudy, has been referred to the prosecution on charges of purchasing mock test questions for Suneung from current teachers, local news outlets reported Wednesday. Investigative news outlet Sherlock reported that the Board of Audit and Inspection found Cho bought mock test questions intended for third-year high school students from 21 active teachers. He was referred to prosecutors on May 17 on suspicion of violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act and obstruction of business. According to the reports, one teacher allegedly received 58 million won ($42,000) for selling mock exam questions to Cho. Between 2018 and 2023, the same teacher reportedly earned 238 million won by selling questions to 11 academies, including Cho's. Another teacher is accused of providing insider information on question explanations for Suneung and related mock evaluations. In total, 21 current teachers are suspected of having traded exam questions with Cho. The Board said Cho admitted to the allegations during the investigation.
Korea Herald
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Yoon Suk Yeol's apartment raided over wife's alleged gifts
Prosecutors carried out a search and seizure of the private residence of former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee on Thursday, as part of an investigation into alleged corruption via ties between the former presidential couple and a shaman, Jeon Seong-bae, also known as Geon Jin. Wednesday's raid by the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office is seen as an effort to secure evidence related to Jeon's alleged violation of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act, and his alleged connection to the former presidential couple. The prosecution previously investigated a high-ranking Unification Church official, surnamed Yoon, who reportedly claimed that he gave a diamond necklace estimated to be worth 60 million won ($41,976) and an expensive handbag of unknown value to Jeon, allegedly as a gift for the former first lady Kim after then-presidential candidate Yoon won the election in 2022. The prosecution seeks to verify whether and which gifts were actually handed over to Kim. The prosecutors reportedly suspect that the Unification Church official attempted to lobby the former presidential couple through Jeon in order to gain government-led support for the church's business operations in Cambodia. Authorities also obtained a text message in which church official Yoon reportedly sent Jeon a bundle of cash amounting to 30 million won under the pretext of a "prayer fee." Jeon was previously accused of receiving 100 million won from a politician who ran for office during the local elections in 2018. He is believed to have played a role in decision-making and served as a lesser-known leader of Yoon's campaign team, having been brought in without an official appointment. The shaman was found in a now-deleted video recorded in January 2022, where he introduced then-presidential candidate Yoon to campaign staff with friendly physical and verbal gestures at the office of the networking subcommittee. Jeon was reportedly accused of flaunting his personal connections with the former presidential couple to influence business interests as well. Wednesday's raid was the first time the former president and his wife have been subjected to a search and seizure operation. The joint probe team comprising the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials and Korean National Police Agency's National Office of Investigation had attempted to carry out six search and seizure operations of the official presidential office and presidential residence compound in regards to the criminal charges Yoon faces alleging he led an insurrection by declaring martial law Dec. 3. However, each of these attempts were blocked by the Presidential Security Service, which refused to comply, citing military secrets and official confidentiality as reasons for its refusal. The former president's apartment in the Acrovista complex in Seocho-gu is not a location involving classified military secrets or official duties under the Criminal Procedure Act.
Korea Herald
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Yoon Suk Yeol's apartment raided over shaman's alleged gifts to wife Kim Keon Hee
Prosecutors carried out a search and seizure of the private residence of former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee on Thursday, as part of an investigation into alleged corruption via ties between the former presidential couple and a shaman, Jeon Seong-bae, also known as Geon Jin. Wednesday's raid by the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office is seen as an effort to secure evidence related to Jeon's alleged violation of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act, and his alleged connection to the former presidential couple. The prosecution previously investigated a high-ranking Unification Church official, surnamed Yoon, who reportedly claimed that he gave a diamond necklace estimated to be worth 60 million won ($41,976) and an expensive handbag of unknown value to Jeon, allegedly as a gift for the former first lady Kim after then-presidential candidate Yoon won the election in 2022. The prosecution seeks to verify whether and which gifts were actually handed over to Kim. The prosecutors reportedly suspect that the Unification Church official attempted to lobby the former presidential couple through Jeon in order to gain government-led support for the church's business operations in Cambodia. Unification Church is a religious movement derived from Christianity, founded in 1954 by Rev. Sun Myung Moon. Authorities also obtained a text message in which church official Yoon reportedly sent Jeon a bundle of cash amounting to 30 million won under the pretext of a "prayer fee." Wednesday's raid was the first time the former president and his wife have been subjected to a search and seizure operation. Though the joint probe team comprised of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials and Korean National Police Agency's National Office of Investigation have attempted to carry out six search and seizure operations of the official presidential office and presidential residence compound in regards to the criminal charges Yoon faces alleging he led an insurrection by declaring martial law Dec. 3, each of these attempts were blocked by the Presidential Security Service, which refused to comply, citing military secrets and official confidentiality as reasons for its refusal. The former president's apartment in the Acrovista complex in Seocho-gu is not a location involving classified military secrets or official duties under the Criminal Procedure Act.
