The Kim Keon-hee special counsel team (special counsel Min Joong-ki) will bring People Power Party lawmaker Kim Gi-hyeon and his spouse to trial.
According to legal sources on the 27th, the special counsel team, a day before the end of its investigation, indicted Rep. Kim without detention along with his spouse, a person surnamed Lee, on charges of violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act.
The two are accused of providing to the first lady on Mar. 17 of the same year a Roger Vivier clutch bag worth 2.67 million won in return for Rep. Kim's election as head of the People Power Party at its 2023 convention.
On the 6th of last month, the special counsel team seized two Roger Vivier bags at ACRO Vista in Seocho-gu, Seoul, the residence of Kim Keon-hee, and was said to have secured a purchase history sheet bearing Lee's name.
In particular, a card was reportedly found at the scene that appeared to have been written by Lee, conveying the message, "Thank you for helping Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon win the party leadership."
The special counsel team believes former President Yoon Suk-yeol and Kim Keon-hee initially sought to support People Power Party lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong for party leader but switched their backing to Rep. Kim, and as a token of thanks handed over the bag.
Earlier, on the 17th, the special counsel team searched the National Assembly Secretariat and Rep. Kim's residence, among other locations, and on the 22nd of this month questioned him as a suspect in violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act. On the 5th and again that day, the team questioned Lee.
The special counsel said, "This is a power corruption case in which the leader of a political party provided a luxury bag to the president's spouse in return for being elected," adding, "We confirmed signs of the president's interference in the ruling party leadership primary."
The Kim Keon-hee special counsel team also decided to bring to trial Chair Yang Nam-hee and former Sambu Construction Co. Vice Chair Lee Gi-hoon, who are implicated in alleged stock price manipulation involving Well Biotec.
They are accused of distributing a false press release claiming that Well Biotec would participate in Ukraine reconstruction and in importing raw lithium ore, boosting the stock price and then selling to reap illicit gains of about 21.5 billion won.
Meanwhile, as the investigation period ends on the 28th, the special counsel team plans to transfer the bribery case involving former President Yoon Suk-yeol and Kim Keon-hee to the National Office of Investigation (NOI) for further investigation.