The special counsel investigating Kim Keon-hee is conducting raids on the Seongnam Office of Education and the Gapyeong Office of Education on the 20th in connection with allegations of covering up a child's school violence.
In a notice that day, the special counsel said, "In connection with allegations that Kim Keon-hee was involved in covering up the school violence of the presidential protocol secretary's child, we have been conducting searches and seizures since this morning at three offices of the education support offices: the student life education support division and the elementary education support division at the Seongnam Office of Education, and the education division at the Gapyeong Office of Education."
Earlier, the special counsel said on Sept. 9 that it had launched a preliminary investigation in relation to this. At the time, to check whether there had been improper external pressure by the first lady and others, the special counsel received necessary materials from relevant institutions, including the Seongnam Office of Education.
The allegation of covering up a child's school violence concerns a claim that the daughter of former presidential secretary Kim Seung-hee assaulted a second-grade elementary school girl after school, but the first lady covered up the case after a little over eight minutes of a call with then Vice Minister of Education Jang Sang-yoon. At the time, Kim's daughter is said to have taken the victim to the bathroom, closed the toilet lid and sat her down, then struck her head and face 10 times with a recorder and her fist. Because of this assault, the second-grade elementary school girl suffered injuries requiring nine weeks to heal.
Meanwhile, Lee Bae-yong, former Chairperson of the National Education Commission, had been scheduled to appear before the special counsel that day but did not appear for health reasons.
Lee's side said that day, "After suffering a fracture injury and being taken to the emergency room last night (Oct. 19), in accordance with the doctor's diagnosis and recommendation, surgery began around noon today (Oct. 20)." They added, "As soon as recovery allows, [Lee] will appear before the special counsel and faithfully undergo questioning."
Lee, the former Chairperson, faces allegations that at the beginning of Yoon Suk-yeol's presidency, greetings were solicited to the first lady's side by handing over a gold turtle and other items.
The special counsel suspects that in March 2022, right after the presidential election, Lee gave the first lady a 5-don gold turtle and a congratulatory card as a celebration of the victory. In September that year, Lee was appointed the inaugural Chairperson of the National Education Commission, launched under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration.