Former President Yoon Suk-yeol's wife, Kim Keon-hee, arrived at the special prosecutor's office at 10:11 a.m. on the 6th. This marks the first time in constitutional history that the spouses of past presidents have appeared in public as suspects before investigative agencies.
On that day, around 9:30 a.m., Ms. Kim departed her home and arrived at the KT Gwanghwamun building, where the special prosecutor's office is located, at approximately 10:11 a.m.
Arriving in a van, Ms. Kim was dressed in a black suit with her hair tied back. She bowed her head and immediately entered the building housing the special prosecutor's office, taking the escalator to the investigation room.
Ms. Kim appeared at the special prosecutor's office as a suspect on that day. She faces allegations of violating the Capital Market Act, disseminating false information under the Public Official Election Act, and violating the Public Service Ethics Act.
Ms. Kim is expected to be questioned regarding the 16 allegations specified in the Special Prosecutor Act, as well as the newly discovered so-called 'butler gate.' Major allegations include: ▲ suspicions that former People Power Party member Kim Young-sun and former prosecutor Kim Sang-min were involved in obtaining nominations for the 2022 by-election and 2024 general election; ▲ allegations of involvement in stock manipulation of Deutsch Motors and SAMBU Construction; ▲ allegations of soliciting Unified Korea-related issues through Geonjin Beopsa; ▲ and suspicions of failing to report assets, such as a necklace worth 60 million won.
Earlier, Ms. Kim underwent prosecution questioning in July last year, becoming the first spouse of a sitting president to do so. This was related to allegations of her involvement in stock manipulation at Deutsch Motors and receiving luxury bags. However, the prosecution conducted the questioning at a third venue. Since then, Ms. Kim has consistently ignored summons requests from the prosecution and the special prosecutor.
However, it has been reported that Ms. Kim's side has decided not to exercise the right to refuse to testify during this investigation and to provide detailed answers to the special prosecutor's questions.
Meanwhile, there have been instances in the past where spouses of former presidents have been privately investigated as witnesses by investigative agencies. The late former President Chun Doo-hwan's wife, Lee Soon-ja, appeared before the Supreme Public Prosecutors' Office's Central Investigation Department in 2004 regarding her husband's presidential election slush fund case. The late former President Roh Moo-hyun's wife, Kwon Yang-sook, was investigated by the Busan District Prosecutors' Office in 2009 in connection with the so-called Park Yeon-cha gate. Former President Lee Myung-bak's wife, Kim Yoon-ok, was subjected to a written inquiry by the special prosecutor in 2012 regarding the 'Naegok-dong residence site scandal.'