Kim Keonhee Special Counsel Operates In-Depth Investigation Team for Third-Party Allegations

Dedicated Unit for Tips and Intelligence Outside Official Investigation
Nine-Member Team Directly Under Special Prosecutor Kim Hyunggeun

Min Joongki, the special prosecutor in charge of the case related to allegations against Kim Gunhee, wife of former President Yoon Sukyeol, is giving a greeting speech at the plaque unveiling ceremony held on July 2, 2025, at the special prosecutor's office set up in the KT Gwanghwamun Building West in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yongjun

It has been confirmed that the special prosecutor team led by Min Jungki, which is investigating allegations related to First Lady Kim Keonhee, is separately operating an internal special unit called the "Special Investigator In-Depth Investigation Team," dedicated to handling tips and intelligence outside the official scope of the investigation. This organization consists of nine members, mainly lawyers, and operates directly under Special Prosecutor Kim Hyunggeun. In addition to responding to complaints and accusations against the special prosecutor, it is responsible for preliminary investigations into allegations against the First Lady that are categorized as "third-party suspicions."

According to Asia Economy's coverage on July 30, this in-depth investigation team operates with a structure of "intelligence gathering → assessment of investigative value → decision on whether to proceed with an official investigation" before the special prosecutor officially initiates an investigation. Recently, it has been reported that the team has shared various tips and suspicions through behind-the-scenes contact with close associates of the First Lady.

While the Special Prosecutor Act defines the scope of the special prosecutor's investigation by law, the in-depth investigation team is operated for the purpose of "intelligence analysis and strategy development" prior to the official commencement of an investigation as stipulated by law. The team serves as an organization for preliminary information gathering and review on matters not yet subject to official investigation, and as a body for reviewing the feasibility of an investigation, effectively functioning as a strategic review unit before an issue is converted into a formal investigation.

Although such internal investigation teams unofficially existed during the 2016 special prosecutor probe led by Park Youngsoo, it is unusual for an organization with an official name and structure to systematically operate under the deputy special prosecutor, as is the case this time. Both inside and outside the special prosecutor's office, there are views that the existence and role of this team could become an important turning point in determining the direction of the special prosecutor's future investigations.