South Korea Arrests Former First Lady Kim Keon Hee in Expanding Probe Into Ex-President Yoon’s Scandal-Ridden Presidency
In a historic escalation of political scandal, South Korean authorities arrested Kim Keon Hee, wife of ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol, late Tuesday night as part of an expanding special investigation into corruption and abuse of power during Yoon’s presidency.
The Seoul Central District Court granted the special prosecutor’s request for an arrest warrant shortly before midnight, citing concerns that Kim could tamper with evidence. She will be held in a detention facility in southern Seoul, while her husband remains incarcerated elsewhere after his re-arrest in July.
Kim’s detention marks the first time a South Korean presidential couple has simultaneously faced arrest over criminal allegations, deepening the fallout from Yoon’s tumultuous exit from power in April following a failed and hastily imposed martial law order.
The special investigation, led by Prosecutor Min Joong-ki, is pursuing a range of charges against Kim, including bribery, stock manipulation, and illegally influencing party nominations. She is suspected of working with Yoon to sway the conservative People Power Party’s candidate selection process in 2022 at the alleged request of political fixer Myung Tae-kyun.
Prosecutors believe Myung helped rig internal polling to boost Yoon’s prospects in the lead-up to his presidential primary win. Myung is also accused of conducting illegal, doctored opinion surveys in Yoon’s favor.
Separately, Kim faces scrutiny for allegedly receiving luxury goods through a fortuneteller linked to a Unification Church official seeking government favors, and for possible ties to a stock manipulation scheme involving a BMW dealership business.
President Yoon, who once championed anti-corruption reforms, was removed from office in April after a surprise declaration of martial law amid a political standoff with the then-opposition liberal majority. His actions drew immediate condemnation and led to his arrest last month, continuing South Korea’s long pattern of disgraced presidencies.
Yoon’s supporters claim the liberal administration of President Lee Jae Myung, who appointed Prosecutor Min in June, is weaponizing the law for political revenge. However, critics argue the breadth and credibility of the allegations against the former president and first lady demand full accountability.
Kim did not speak publicly on Tuesday but offered a brief, vague apology last week when first questioned by prosecutors. Describing herself as “someone insignificant,” she hinted at plans to deny the charges. While in office, Yoon had refused to allow investigations into his wife, dismissing the growing allegations as politically motivated.
The court’s decision to grant the arrest warrant signals a significant shift in the legal reckoning facing South Korea’s former ruling couple.
Kim is expected to remain in custody while formal indictments are prepared. Sentencing hearings for Yoon over his attempted martial law order and separate charges related to campaign misconduct are scheduled for next month.
Erizia Rubyjeana
