Prosecutors Indict Businessman Without Detention Over Allegations of 'President Yoon X-File'

Allegations of Infidelity Against First Lady Kim Geon-hee

[Asia Economy Reporter Gong Byung-sun] The Criminal Division 1 of the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Kim Nam-hoon) announced on the 17th that it had indicted businessman Jeong Dae-taek (74), who raised various suspicions about President Yoon Seok-yeol's in-laws, without detention at the end of last month on charges of defamation.

Jeong is the person who, during the last presidential election period, raised allegations on YouTube and other platforms that mother-in-law Choi Eun-soon (77) embezzled billions of won and that wife Kim Geon-hee had an extramarital affair.

In July 2021, following a complaint by Choi, the police launched an investigation and transferred Jeong to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in November of the following year. Subsequently, the Central Prosecutors' Office transferred the defamation case to the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office and instructed the police to conduct supplementary investigations regarding the false accusation against Choi and the allegations related to Kim's so-called 'Julie' hostess scandal.

In a statement submitted to the Seocho Police Station in Seoul, Choi demanded punishment for Jeong and refuted the so-called X-file contents, including the extramarital affair allegations against Kim, as false, citing 13 court rulings as evidence.

In December 2015, the Supreme Court confirmed a fine of 10 million won against Jeong, who was prosecuted for defamation for posting online writings suggesting that Kim had an inappropriate relationship with a certain person.