The special counsel investigating Kim Keon-hee plans to summon the first lady on the 25th in connection with the "Lee Ufan painting exchange allegations."
At a regular briefing on the 22nd, the special counsel said it had notified the first lady to "appear at 10 a.m. on the 25th as a suspect in the 'Lee Ufan painting exchange allegations.'" According to the special counsel, the first lady is under suspicion of violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes (bribery).
The first lady's side also says she will comply with the summons. On the same day, attorney Yu Jeong-hwa of the first lady's defense team said in a media notice, "First lady Kim Keon-hee will attend the first trial at 2:10 p.m. on the 24th and the special counsel's summons at 10 a.m. on the 25th."
The painting exchange allegations center on claims that former prosecutor Kim Sang-min in Jan. 2023 purchased painter Lee Ufan's work "From Point No.800298" in cash for around 100 million won, handed it to the first lady's older brother, Kim Jin-woo, then sought a nomination for the 22nd general election last year and was appointed a legal adviser to the National Intelligence Service. The special counsel suspects that Kim Jin-woo, to conceal the first lady's receipt of the painting, stored the work at a different location.
Earlier, in late Jul., the special counsel discovered the painting while searching Kim Jin-woo's home. The painting was reportedly brought into Korea after a Korean person surnamed Lee won it for about 30 million won at a Taiwan auction in Jun. 2022. After changing hands several times, the price of the painting jumped to the 100 million won range.
The special counsel is said to have identified circumstances that Kim, the former prosecutor, bought the painting in Jan. 2023 for about 140 million won. At the time, he was serving as head of Public Trial Division 2 at the Supreme Public Prosecutors' Office. He is said to have delivered the painting to Kim Jin-woo.
Meanwhile, this round of the special counsel's investigation comes about a month after the first lady was indicted and detained on the 29th of last month. The first lady was questioned by the special counsel once before being detained on the 12th of last month and five times in total before the indictment.