Apartment Resident Claiming "Picked Up Book Gifted to Kim Geon-hee" to Undergo Prosecutor Investigation on 21st

Appearance at the Prosecutor's Office on the 21st at 2 PM
Order to Bring Pastor Kwon's Book Among the Collected Books

The prosecution has issued a summons to a resident who claimed to have picked up books gifted to First Lady Kim Keon-hee at the recycling station of the apartment in Seocho-gu, Seoul, where she resided.

According to SBS on the 19th, the dedicated investigation team of the Criminal Division 1 at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, which is investigating the 'luxury bag allegations' involving First Lady Kim, plans to summon apartment resident Kwon for questioning as a witness at 2 p.m. on the 21st.

Photo by Jinhyung Kang, Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the 16th. aymsdream@

Kwon stated that around the end of last year, he found and kept books presumed to be owned by President Yoon Seok-yeol and First Lady Kim at the recycling station of the Acrovista Apartment. Among these were four books gifted to First Lady Kim by Pastor Choi Jae-young.

The prosecution is understood to have notified Kwon to appear with the books by Pastor Choi that he had found. The books Kwon acquired include Pastor Kwon's works such as "The Jeon Tae-il Chronicles 1 and 2," "Visiting Religions in the North," and "Everyone Becomes a Gourmet in Pyongyang." These books reportedly contain the inscription, "To President Yoon Seok-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee, from author Pastor Choi Jae-young."

Additionally, Kwon claims to have acquired memoirs containing handwritten inscriptions by Lee Soon-ja, wife of Jeon Du-hwan, addressed to President Yoon, as well as memoirs stamped with the seal of former President Kim Young-sam.

Notably, the memoirs of Jeon Du-hwan include a message written by Lee Soon-ja: "To President Yoon Seok-yeol, who has risen as a national hero, I present this book on behalf of my husband. Wishing you continued success." The date the book was given is marked as June 16, 2022, the same day First Lady Kim visited Lee Soon-ja. Min Jeong-gi, former secretary to Jeon Du-hwan who was present at the time, confirmed, "It is true that the book was given to First Lady Kim."

Subsequently, First Lady Kim also visited Son Myung-soon, wife of former President Kim Young-sam. It is unclear whether she received the memoirs stamped with the former president's seal as a gift at that time, but Kim Hyun-chul, the second son of former President Kim, stated, "During the campaign, I met President Yoon and gifted my father's memoirs," adding, "(The seal) is only used for gifts to prominent figures or VIPs."

Meanwhile, Kwon reportedly expressed that he does not agree to voluntary submission or relinquishment of ownership as requested by the prosecution.

Pastor Choi Jae-young claims to have given First Lady Kim gifts other than luxury bags. With the prosecution summoning the resident who claims to have picked up the books gifted to First Lady Kim, attention is focused on whether the scope of the investigation will expand beyond luxury bags to other items.