The special prosecutor for Kim Keon-hee stated on the 12th that "SEOHEE CONSTRUCTION testified that it gave a luxury necklace to Mrs. Kim and then retrieved it years later."
On the same day, Special Prosecutor O Jeong-hee noted in a media briefing that "SEOHEE CONSTRUCTION submitted a confession letter to the special prosecutor, acknowledging the fact that it had provided the Van Cleef & Arpels necklace worn by Kim Keon-hee during former President Yoon Suk-yeol's NATO visit." Special Prosecutor O added, "The special prosecutor seized the genuine necklace that was voluntarily submitted after SEOHEE CONSTRUCTION had given it to Kim and retrieved it several years later, where it was kept." Earlier, the special prosecutor conducted a search and seizure of SEOHEE CONSTRUCTION on the previous day (the 11th) on suspicion of bribery.
Special Prosecutor O further stated, "During the pre-arrest interrogation (warrant review) of Kim on the same day, we explained to the court the circumstances under which the genuine necklace was secured and presented two pieces of evidence: the counterfeit necklace and the genuine one found at the residence of Kim Keon-hee's brother's in-laws." Earlier, at the Seoul Central District Court, Chief Judge Jeong Jae-wook conducted the warrant review for Mrs. Kim, who is suspected of violating the Capital Markets Act and the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act, from 10:10 a.m. to about 2:35 p.m. for approximately four hours.
Special Prosecutor O stated, "The special prosecutor will thoroughly investigate the fact that Kim clearly received the necklace from SEOHEE CONSTRUCTION shortly after the president's inauguration and wore it during the NATO visit, despite claiming during the special prosecutor's investigation that the product she wore was a counterfeit purchased in Hong Kong 20 years ago, and the circumstances under which a similar model of counterfeit was found at her brother's in-laws' residence." He continued, "We will clearly identify any interference with the investigation or destruction of evidence by Kim and all related parties."
The special prosecutor believes that SEOHEE CONSTRUCTION purchased a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace worth around 60 million won for the purpose of soliciting favor and presented it to Mrs. Kim. This necklace is the 'Snowflake Pendant' product released by Van Cleef & Arpels in 2015. The special prosecutor has indicated that SEOHEE CONSTRUCTION purchased the same model worn by Mrs. Kim during her NATO visit with former President Yoon in June 2022 on March 9, 2022.
Park Seong-geun, a former prosecutor and son-in-law of SEOHEE CONSTRUCTION Chairman Lee Bong-gwan, was appointed as chief secretary to the Prime Minister's office in Yoon Suk-yeol's government in 2022. The special prosecutor is investigating whether SEOHEE CONSTRUCTION handed the necklace to Mrs. Kim in exchange for the chief secretary position.
The special prosecutor secured a counterfeit Van Cleef & Arpels necklace that Mrs. Kim is presumed to have worn in 2022 from the house of Kim Jin-woo, Mrs. Kim's brother-in-law, last month. Mrs. Kim reportedly told the special prosecutor that she gifted a counterfeit necklace to her mother around 2010. However, it has been reported that the special prosecutor received a response from Van Cleef & Arpels that the initial launch date of the necklace was in 2015, which is before the time Mrs. Kim claims to have purchased the counterfeit.
Moreover, Special Prosecutor O stated on that day, "The special prosecutor is investigating Kim on charges of bribery related to the importers of 'robot dogs' related to the presidential security service, as a warranty certificate for a Vacheron Constantin women's watch was discovered during the seizure of the residence of her brother's in-laws."
Previously, the special prosecutor found a warranty certificate for the luxury watch brand 'Vacheron Constantin' while searching the residence of Kim Jin-woo's mother-in-law on the 25th of last month.
As a result of the investigation, it was identified that this watch was purchased by a businessman surnamed Seo in September 2022 at the brand store, and then personally delivered to Mrs. Kim at her residence. The special prosecutor is reportedly investigating the possibility of soliciting favor, given that the timing of the watch's delivery coincides with when Seo's business signed a pilot operation contract for the presidential security service's 'robot dogs.'
Meanwhile, on that afternoon, it is reported that Kim Ye-seong, known as a close aide to Mrs. Kim, is scheduled to return from Vietnam on the 12th and undergo special prosecutor questioning.
In this regard, Special Prosecutor O stated, "A suspect, Kim, for whom an arrest warrant was issued related to the 'Butler Gate' incident, will be apprehended immediately upon returning to Incheon Airport this afternoon, and will be investigated at the special prosecutor's office."
'Butler Gate' refers to the suspicion that Kim participated in IMS Mobility receiving an investment of 18.4 billion won from Kakao Mobility, HS HYOSUNG, and Shinhan Bank in 2023. Kim is suspected of 'undue revenue' of 4.6 billion won in connection with the sale of IMS Mobility shares but denies any financial ties to Mrs. Kim and has reportedly stated that he will provide an explanation.