Kim Yeo-sa's 'Special Treatment Investigation' Controversy... A Look at Past Prosecutor Investigations of Former First Ladies [News Seolcham]

(29) All Former First Ladies Subject to 'Non-Public Investigation'
Lee Sun-ja and Kwon Yang-suk Investigated as Non-Public Witnesses
Kim Yoon-ok Investigated in Writing During Tenure, Refused After Leaving Office
Kim Geon-hee Investigated as 'Suspect'... Investigation Significance Differs

Editor's Note'Seolcham' is a newly coined term meaning to refer to the explanation for more details. In [News Seolcham], we aim to pinpoint parts of the news that require fact-checking or further explanation and provide more detailed information.

Kim Geon-hee, who became the first spouse of a sitting president to be summoned for investigation, is facing public backlash over so-called 'business trip investigation' and 'emperor investigation' controversies. Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok even issued a public apology after the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office investigation team conducted a private investigation of Kim at a government security building rather than the Central District Prosecutors' Office building. Looking at past cases of former first ladies being investigated by prosecutors, all were conducted privately or through written inquiries, but unlike Kim Geon-hee, who is under suspicion as a suspect, they were witnesses, which suggests the 'special treatment' controversy will continue.

The prosecution has coordinated investigation methods considering protocol when investigating spouses of former and current presidents. The first first lady to be investigated was Lee Soon-ja, spouse of former President Chun Doo-hwan, who was summoned for a private investigation in May 2004. This was amid allegations that she managed slush funds of the former president and that some of the funds were delivered to her relatives. At the time, Lee claimed the assets found by prosecutors were 'personal money,' but after the summons, she paid 20 billion won as a substitute for the former president's fines.

Later, in April 2009, Kwon Yang-sook, spouse of former President Roh Moo-hyun, was investigated by the Central Investigation Department of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in connection with the so-called 'Park Yeon-cha Gate.' Considering her status as the wife of a former president, the department dispatched two prosecutors to the Busan District Prosecutors' Office near Bongha Village in Gimhae, where the presidential residence is located, to conduct a private investigation.

In the case of Kim Yoon-ok, during President Lee Myung-bak's term in November 2012, she underwent a written investigation related to the Naegok-dong residence land suspicion case. Initially, the special investigation team requested an on-site investigation at the Blue House, but when this was not accepted, they resorted to a written inquiry.

Kim Yoon-ok was also under investigation in early 2018 for allegations including bribery after President Lee's retirement. At that time, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office investigation team considered various methods to investigate Kim Yoon-ok, including a private investigation at a hotel in Seoul and forced summons. Since she was suspected of involvement in delivering a luxury bag containing 10 million won in cash during the president's term, the team even considered changing her status to a suspect. However, the investigation was ultimately aborted as Kim Yoon-ok, who was a witness, refused to be questioned.

The cases of Lee Soon-ja, Kwon Yang-sook, and Kim Yoon-ok differ in weight from Kim Geon-hee's case in that they were witnesses. Kim Geon-hee was summoned on the 20th to the Presidential Security Service annex building as a suspect related to the Deutsche Motors stock manipulation and luxury bag receipt allegations and underwent a private investigation. In response, opposition parties criticized the investigation of Kim Geon-hee outside the prosecutors' office as 'special treatment,' with remarks such as "Is the prosecutor a catering chef for a business trip? (Jeong Cheong-rae, Supreme Council Member of the Democratic Party)" and "It means they will just take dictation as Kim Geon-hee said (Kim Seung-won, Democratic Party lawmaker)."

There have also been first ladies who were under investigation but not summoned. Kim Ok-sook, spouse of former President Roh Tae-woo, was suspected of receiving slush funds from large corporations but was not summoned for investigation. Lee Hee-ho, spouse of former President Kim Dae-jung, was embroiled in the so-called 'clothing lobbying case' for receiving expensive clothes from a conglomerate chairman's wife but was not summoned by prosecutors. Additionally, Kim Jung-sook, spouse of former President Moon Jae-in, is currently under investigation related to allegations of overseas leisure trips, but whether she will be summoned has not been decided.