Kim Geon-hee Criticized Security Service After Yoon's Arrest
Police Secure Recorded Call With Family Department Head Kim Shin
"I Feel Like Shooting Lee Jae-myung and Then Committing Suicide"
Claims have emerged that Kim Geon-hee, wife of President Yoon Seok-yeol, criticized the Presidential Security Service while mentioning the use of firearms after the president's arrest. However, the presidential office immediately denied this. On the 19th, Hankook Ilbo reported, "These details were included in the arrest warrant application submitted to the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office by Kim Seong-hoon, deputy head of the Security Service, and Lee Kwang-woo, head of the Security Headquarters, and the prosecution requested the warrant after reviewing new evidence added by the police."
According to the report, on January 15, after the second arrest warrant for President Yoon was executed, Kim visited the family security department at the Hannam-dong residence and expressed disappointment with the Security Service, saying, "What’s the point of carrying guns? They are supposed to prevent such things," and reportedly scolded them for a long time. She also reportedly confided, "If it were up to me, I would shoot Representative Lee Jae-myung and then commit suicide myself."
At that time, Family Department Head Kim Shin was absent, and a security officer, startled by Kim’s anger, reportedly reported the situation to Department Head Kim. According to Hankook Ilbo, in mid-February, the police conducted a search of Department Head Kim’s residence and office, seizing several mobile phones. During the forensic examination of the phones, they obtained a recorded phone call in which the security officer conveyed the situation to Department Head Kim.
The president’s side has consistently denied any order to use firearms, stating, "The president emphasized that the Security Service should respond without physical force or conflict." Regarding this report, the presidential office told Yonhap News Agency, "We believe this is not true, but we will not respond."
The pretrial detention hearing for Deputy Head Kim and Headquarters Chief Lee will be held at 10:30 a.m. on the 21st at the Seoul Western District Court. They face charges including obstructing the police and the High-ranking Officials’ Crime Investigation Unit’s first arrest operation of President Yoon. They are also accused of unfairly disciplining Security Service executives who did not follow orders to prevent the arrest and instructing the deletion of records from secure phones (bi-hwa phones).
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