Seoul, Korea
AP
–
On Tuesday, a South Korean court ordered the arrest of former president Yoon Sak Yeol’s wife, who was jailed, as investigators tried to accuse her of a variety of suspicious crimes, including bribery, inventory manipulation and interfering with candidate selection.
Investigators said Seoul Central District Court issued a warrant for Kim Gaeong Hee late Tuesday.
The investigation into Kim is one of three special prosecutor probes launched under Seoul’s new liberal government targeting the conservative president Yoon, who took office in April and in December, who took office over the short imposition of his martial law.
Yoon’s self-harm was extended over decades when South Korean presidents were extended over decades, but he and Kim are the first presidential couple to be arrested simultaneously for criminal allegations.
Yoon’s surprising yet inadequately planned power grab, in a seemingly routine standoff with the liberals, he described it as the “anti-state” power that abuses the legislative majority to block his agenda. Some political opponents have questioned whether Yoon’s actions were at least partially motivated by the growing allegations against his wife, which has undermined his approval rating and given his rivals political ammunition.
Kim arrived at Seoul Court on Tuesday and did not speak to reporters due to a few hours of hearings accompanying a warrant request. She will be detained at a detention center in southern Seoul, separate from the facility that carries Yoon.
The investigation team led by special prosecutor Min Joon Ki, appointed by new liberal president Lee Jae-myeon in June, questioned Kim before deciding to arrest him for about seven hours last Wednesday.
Kim appeared in Questions last week and briefly told reporters that she not only released an ambiguous apology for raising public concerns, but also suggested denying allegations against her, and portraying herself as “insignificant.”
Investigators suspect Kim and Yoon had an undue influence on the conservative People’s Power Party in order to nominate certain candidates in the 2022 legislative by-election at the request of election broker Myung Tae-Kyun. Myung faces accusations of conducting a free opinion survey against Yun using manipulation data that could help him win the party’s presidential primary before his election as president.
Kim is linked separately to multiple corruption allegations, including claims that she received a luxury gift through a luxurious gift acting as an intermediary for Unified Church officials who benefit from the business, and possible involvement in a stock manipulation scheme tied to a local BMW dealership company.
During his tenure, Yoon repeatedly rejected calls to investigate his wife, accusing them of unfounded political attacks.
