Prosecutors have launched a forced investigation into the home of former President Roh Tae-woo's wife, Kim Ok-suk, and other locations in connection with suspicions that the Roh family hid slush funds.
According to legal sources on the 21st, the Crime Proceeds Recovery Department of the West Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (headed by Director General So Jeong-su) is executing search and seizure operations at the residence in Yeonhui-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, where Ms. Kim is staying, in connection with violations of the Act on Regulation and Punishment of Criminal Proceeds Concealment by the former president's family and allegations of tax evasion.
The East Asia Cultural Foundation, where the former president's son, Roh Jae-heon, the ambassador to China, serves as chair, the Roh Tae-woo Center, and the homes of then-secretaries suspected of providing borrowed-name accounts are also said to be included among the search and seizure targets.
Earlier, groups including the May 18 Memorial Foundation filed criminal complaints in 2024 against Director Roh and Ms. Kim, as well as Director Roh's younger brother, Roh Jae-heon, the ambassador to China, on suspicions of slush fund concealment and tax evasion. In response, prosecutors recently analyzed financial account records of the former president's family and are said to have asked Ms. Kim's side to explain part of the fund flows.
The suspicions surfaced during the divorce lawsuit between SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and Director Roh, when the existence of funds believed to be slush money of former President Roh came to light. In the divorce case, Director Roh's side submitted to the court a memo written by Ms. Kim detailing 90.4 billion won in slush funds as evidence, asserting her contribution to the formation of SK Group's assets.