Kim Keon Hee, the wife of South Korea’s former President Yoon Suk Yeol, was officially charged with bribery and other crimes by a special prosecution team on Friday. This development occurs amidst an expanding investigation into the nation’s martial law crisis and related scandals involving the now-retired power couple.
Both Yoon and Kim have been detained and are currently incarcerated, with Yoon already facing trial on multiple charges, including insurrection, following his removal from office in April due to a failed attempt to implement martial law in December.
The couple is undergoing separate inquiries conducted by special prosecutors appointed after Yoon’s departure from office, which coincided with President Lee Jae Myung’s assumption of office.
This marks the first instance of a former first lady being formally indicted in South Korea. The accusations against Kim, which carry potential sentences of several years if she is convicted, encompass allegations ranging from securities fraud to bribery, implicating business leaders, religious figures, and a political influence broker. The former first lady has been linked to numerous high-profile scandals, some dating back over fifteen years, which have overshadowed President Yoon’s tumultuous administration and caused political repercussions for both him and his conservative party.
Her legal representatives have refuted the charges, asserting that reports regarding some gifts she reportedly received are unfounded and based on speculation.
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Furthermore, special prosecutors investigating the martial law crisis have formally charged former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, appointed by President Yoon, with allegations of aiding insurrection and perjury, as corroborated by a spokesperson for the prosecution.
