Latest news with #KimKeonHee
Saudi Gazette
5 days ago
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
South Korean prosecutors raid ex-first lady's home in corruption probe
SEOUL — South Korean prosecutors raided the home of former First Lady Kim Keon Hee on Friday as part of an expanding investigation into corruption allegations, Yonhap News Agency reported. The search, led by Special Counsel Min Joong-ki's team, also targeted the office of Covana Contents — an arts exhibition firm previously operated by Kim — ahead of her scheduled questioning on August 6. Kim is under scrutiny for alleged involvement in stock manipulation and the illegal acceptance of a luxury handbag. Authorities are also examining whether she received luxury gifts from a Unification Church official seeking influence over major development projects, including a $1.5 billion funding initiative in Cambodia, a United Nations office bid, and a news channel acquisition. On Thursday, Special Counsel Min broadened the investigation to include links to Cambodia and Mongolia. A separate probe led by Special Counsel Cho Eun-seok is investigating South Korean military intelligence efforts to contact North Korea's embassy in Mongolia days before President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on Dec. South Korean intelligence officers were reportedly detained in Mongolia in connection with the attempted former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min was questioned Friday over his alleged role in the controversial martial law declaration, which was quickly rescinded amid public twin investigations continue to place growing legal pressure on both former President Yoon and his wife, deepening South Korea's political turmoil. — Agencies
Miami Herald
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Special counsel summons South Korean ex-President Yoon for questioning
SEOUL, July 21 (UPI) -- A South Korean special counsel team investigating allegations against former First Lady Kim Keon Hee said Monday that it has also summoned former President Yoon Suk Yeol for questioning over election meddling charges. Special prosecutor Min Joong-ki's office sent a request to the Seoul Detention Center, where Yoon is currently being held, to appear for questioning on Jul. 29, assistant special prosecutor Moon Hong-ju said at a press briefing. "The special prosecutor sent a request for investigation cooperation regarding former President Yoon to the head of the Seoul Detention Center this morning, requesting that he appear as a suspect at 10 a.m. on July 29," Moon said. Moon added that the office also mailed a summons to Kim Keon Hee's residence to request her appearance on Aug. 6. Kim is being investigated on a range of allegations including stock price manipulation, accepting luxury goods in exchange for political favors and meddling in election nominations. Yoon faces questioning over the election meddling charges, which involve power broker Myung Tae-kyun, the special consul's office said. The former presidential couple are suspected of influencing candidate nominations for Yoon's People Power Party in local and parliamentary elections. The summons for Yoon comes as he awaits a separate trial over his short-lived Dec. 3 declaration of martial law. Yoon's decree was quickly overturned by the National Assembly and led to his impeachment and eventual removal from office. The former president was arrested on Jul. 10 over concerns he may destroy evidence ahead of the trial, marking Yoon's second time in custody. In January, after a weeks-long standoff using his presidential security detail, Yoon was arrested on insurrection charges. He was later released in March on procedural grounds. Special prosecutors indicted Yoon on additional charges on Saturday, including an allegation that he abused power by not holding a required meeting with all cabinet members before declaring martial law. He is also accused of creating a false document claiming the full cabinet endorsed the martial law decree and later destroying it. The insurrection charges Yoon faces are punishable by life imprisonment or the death penalty. Copyright 2025 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
UPI
21-07-2025
- Politics
- UPI
Special counsel summons South Korean ex-President Yoon for questioning
Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, seen here attending his impeachment trial in January, was summoned by prosecutors for questioning over an election influencing case involving former First Lady Kim Keon Hee, a special counsel team said Monday. Yoon is currently in custody awaiting a separate trial on charges related to his failed martial law bid, including insurrection and abuse of power. File Photo by Yonhap/EPA-EFE SEOUL, July 21 (UPI) -- A South Korean special counsel team investigating allegations against former First Lady Kim Keon Hee said Monday that it has also summoned former President Yoon Suk Yeol for questioning over election meddling charges. Special prosecutor Min Joong-ki's office sent a request to the Seoul Detention Center, where Yoon is currently being held, to appear for questioning on Jul. 29, assistant special prosecutor Moon Hong-ju said at a press briefing. "The special prosecutor sent a request for investigation cooperation regarding former President Yoon to the head of the Seoul Detention Center this morning, requesting that he appear as a suspect at 10 a.m. on July 29," Moon said. Moon added that the office also mailed a summons to Kim Keon Hee's residence to request her appearance on Aug. 6. Kim is being investigated on a range of allegations including stock price manipulation, accepting luxury goods in exchange for political favors and meddling in election nominations. Yoon faces questioning over the election meddling charges, which involve power broker Myung Tae-kyun, the special consul's office said. The former presidential couple are suspected of influencing candidate nominations for Yoon's People Power Party in local and parliamentary elections. The summons for Yoon comes as he awaits a separate trial over his short-lived Dec. 3 declaration of martial law. Yoon's decree was quickly overturned by the National Assembly and led to his impeachment and eventual removal from office. The former president was arrested on Jul. 10 over concerns he may destroy evidence ahead of the trial, marking Yoon's second time in custody. In January, after a weeks-long standoff using his presidential security detail, Yoon was arrested on insurrection charges. He was later released in March on procedural grounds. Special prosecutors indicted Yoon on additional charges on Saturday, including an allegation that he abused power by not holding a required meeting with all cabinet members before declaring martial law. He is also accused of creating a false document claiming the full cabinet endorsed the martial law decree and later destroying it. The insurrection charges Yoon faces are punishable by life imprisonment or the death penalty.
Yomiuri Shimbun
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
South Korean Prosecutor's Team Raids Unification Church HQ Over Yoon's Wife; Group Denies Organizational Involvement
SEOUL — A South Korean special prosecutor's team raided the headquarters of the Unification Church, formally called the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, in Gapyeong, a city near Seoul, on Friday. The raid was conducted in connection with corruption allegations surrounding Kim Keon Hee, the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol. The special prosecutor is investigating the former first lady for allegedly accepting a luxury brand name bag, given to her by a former senior church official through a political broker in 2022, in exchange for asking Yoon's side to make it easier for the group to run its business in Cambodia. According to Yonhap News and other media outlets, the Unification Church denied any organizational involvement in the allegation during questioning by investigators before the investigation was transferred to the special prosecutor's team. However, the former senior church official said the organization's leader Han Hak-ja approved it.
Korea Herald
14-07-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Arrest warrants sought for construction firm officials in case allegedly involving ex-first lady
The special counsel team investigating allegations involving former first lady Kim Keon Hee filed for warrants Monday to arrest four construction company officials over a stock manipulation case allegedly linked to her. The investigation team, led by special counsel Min Joong-ki, said it filed the warrants against Lee Il-jun and Cho Sung-wok, current and former chairman of Sambu Construction Co., respectively, along with a former vice chairman and a former CEO, on charges of violating the Capital Markets Act. It marks the first time arrest warrants have been sought by the special counsel team since it launched its investigation into allegations involving Kim earlier this month. The four executives are accused of allegedly duping investors into buying the firm's shares in 2023 on false information that it would take part in reconstruction projects in war-torn Ukraine, then selling off their shares at inflated prices to pocket massive illegal profits. The former first lady is alleged to have played a role in the scheme. Also on Monday, the special counsel team summoned the founder of Kakao Corp. and executives of several other companies for questioning over an investment scandal linked to one of Kim's aides. Kakao founder Kim Beom-su; vice chairman of HS Hyosung Corp. Jo Hyeong-sang; former president of the Korea Securities Finance Corp. Yoon Chang-ho; and former Daou Kiwoom Group Chairman Kim Ik-rae were told to appear for questioning at 10 a.m. Thursday. The scandal centers on allegations that a man surnamed Kim, who served as a "butler" for the former first lady's family, had reportedly received 18 billion won (US$13 million) in illegal investments from several companies, including Kakao Mobility Corp., for his rental car company, IMS, in 2023. The special counsel suspects that the funds invested in IMS may have been funneled to the former first lady in the form of slush funds. The executives were summoned as witnesses in the case, though their status could change to suspects depending on the outcome of the probe, officials said. "We will begin questionings of top decision makers of the companies (involved) ... this week to swiftly find the truth behind the so-called 'butler gate' and prevent the destroying of evidence," assistant special counsel Oh Jung-hee said in a regular press briefing.
