The special counsel probing Kim Keon-hee plans to indict SAMBU Construction Vice Chairman Lee Gi-hun on detention on the 26th.
At a regular briefing on the 25th, the special counsel said, "We plan to indict on detention tomorrow Lee Gi-hun, vice chairman of SAMBU Construction and chairman of Well Biotec, on charges of manipulating SAMBU Construction's stock price." The special counsel added, "We will continue investigating the alleged involvement in Well Biotec stock price manipulation even after indictment."
The vice chairman is under suspicion of violating the Capital Markets Act. Identified as the planner of the SAMBU Construction stock price manipulation case, he fled after not appearing for a warrant hearing on Jul. 17 and was arrested in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province, on the 10th, 55 days later.
The allegation of SAMBU Construction stock price manipulation is that, as SAMBU Construction rapidly emerged as a Ukraine reconstruction theme stock in 2022–2023 and its share price surged, there was work by a stock manipulation ring behind the rise.
The special counsel suspects that SAMBU Construction Chairman Lee Il-jun, former CEO Lee Eung-geun, former Chairman Cho Sung-ok, Vice Chairman Lee, and other current and former SAMBU Construction executives colluded to obtain illicit gains totaling about 36.9 billion won.
The special counsel also said it plans to summon the head of the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center on the 26th in connection with the "Jongmyo tea gathering allegation."
The Jongmyo tea gathering allegation is that first lady Kim Keon-hee held a tea gathering with outsiders at Mangmyoru in Jongmyo, Seoul, on Sept. 3 last year, using a national heritage site for private purposes. Mangmyoru is a building where the Jongmyoseo, the government office that managed Jongmyo in the Joseon era, was located. Mangmyoru is normally off-limits to the general public and is known to require permission from the head of the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center to enter. It also became known that the date of Kim's visit was a closed day, prompting controversy over special favors.
Meanwhile, the special counsel is conducting the first summons investigation of Kim after indictment in connection with the "Lee Ufan painting acceptance allegation." Kim is being questioned as a bribery suspect under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Crimes. Kim is suspected of having accepted a painting worth around 100 million won from former prosecutor Kim Sang-min.
The painting acceptance allegation is that former prosecutor Kim Sang-min bought Lee Ufan's painting "From Point No.800298" in cash for around 100 million won in Jan. 2023, handed it to Kim's older brother, Kim Jin-woo, then sought a nomination in last year's 22nd general election and was appointed a legal special adviser to the National Intelligence Service. The special counsel suspects that Kim Jin-woo stored the painting in another location to conceal the fact that Kim had accepted the painting.