People Power Party lawmaker Kim Gi-hyeon, who was indicted without detention on charges of violating the anti-graft law, pushed back, calling it a "charge without asking."
In a statement released on the 27th, Kim said, "As if following a prewritten script, the 'Democratic Party subcontractor' special counsel team led by Min Joong-ki filed a charge without asking against me and my spouse just to rack up indictment numbers."
Kim said, "The special counsel searched my home and office top to bottom but found no evidence or indication of any crime," adding, "From the start, no crime could be established, so there could not possibly be any evidence."
The special counsel team currently investigating allegations related to former President Yoon Suk-yeol's wife, Kim Keon-hee, earlier that day indicted without detention Kim and Kim's wife, a person surnamed Lee, on charges of violating the anti-graft law.
The two are accused of providing to Kim Keon-hee, on Mar. 17, 2023, one Roger Vivier clutch bag worth 2.67 million won in return for Kim being elected at the People Power Party convention that year.
The special counsel team believes that former President Yoon Suk-yeol and Kim Keon-hee initially sought to support People Power Party lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong for party leader but switched their backing to Kim, and that a bag was given in return.
On the 6th of last month, the special counsel team seized two Roger Vivier bags at ACRO Vista in Seocho-gu, Seoul, the residence of Kim Keon-hee, and was reported to have secured a purchase history sheet bearing Lee's name.
Kim, however, said, "This political special counsel is fabricating crimes out of nothing based solely on their own delusions and, going so far as to write an absurd, third-rate novel, is oppressing opposition politicians."
Kim added, "With just a day left before the special counsel's deadline, this charge without asking by a political special counsel, which is scrambling to serve the ruling camp's political aims without any evidence, will ultimately be found not guilty."