Kim Keonhee, Who Received Chanel Bag from Unification Church, Said "Making Efforts at Government Level to Help"... Special Prosecutor Cites 'Mutually Beneficial Relationship' in Indictment

"'Butler Gate' Warrant Dismissal Unusual...
Allegations Are Serious, Will Reapply"

According to the indictment against Kim Keonhee, it was revealed that after receiving a Chanel bag as a gift from the Unification Church, Kim contacted a Unification Church official to express her gratitude and stated, "We are making efforts at the government level to provide support." The special prosecutor's team led by Min Jungki specified that Kim sought to maintain a reciprocal relationship with the Unification Church.

Yoon Sukyeol's wife Kim Keonhee is coming out after the detention hearing (warrant review) held at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the afternoon of the 12th. 2025.08.12 Photo by Joint Press Corps

According to Kim's indictment on the 3rd, Yoon, the former global head of the Unification Church, gave Kim Chanel bags worth 8.02 million won in April 2022 and 12.71 million won in July 2022, respectively, through Jeon Seongbae, also known as Geonjin Bopsa.

The special prosecutor's team stated that when Jeon delivered the gifts to Kim, he proposed that Kim secretly maintain contact with the Unification Church and conveyed requests from Yoon, including messages related to lobbying for the establishment of the UN Fifth Secretariat in Korea.

In particular, after receiving the Chanel bag, Kim was found to have called a Unification Church official to express her thanks. During the call, Kim reportedly stated that "the government of the Republic of Korea is making efforts to support the Unification Church."

In addition, the Unification Church is suspected of having delivered a Graff necklace worth 62.2 million won to Kim through Jeon in July 2022.

Before detailing Kim's specific criminal acts, the special prosecutor's team described her status as "the spouse of former President Yoon Sukyeol, who was directly or indirectly involved in various state affairs corresponding to the duties of the president."

Furthermore, the indictment stated, "Kim and Jeon shared the perception that the Unification Church's support was crucial to Yoon's victory in the 20th presidential election, and thus agreed to form a mutually beneficial relationship. Jeon was to maintain contact with the Unification Church on Kim's behalf to uphold this relationship." The background of how Kim, Geonjin Bopsa, and the Unification Church came to maintain their relationship was also described in detail.

After Yoon's election victory in March 2022, Kim reportedly called Yoon to say, "Thank you for helping with the election. I will greet the president. Please discuss matters with Geonjin Bopsa going forward and continue to support us." The special prosecutor's team determined that Jeon called a Unification Church official to relay the contents of the call between Kim and Yoon, stating, "We will repay the Unification Church in the future. I am taking responsibility for the Unification Church's interests."

Additionally, the indictment included allegations that former President Yoon, ahead of the 2022 National Assembly by-election, instructed Yoon Sanghyun, then head of the nomination committee of the People Power Party, to nominate former lawmaker Kim Youngsun.

"'Butler Gate' Warrant Dismissal Unusual... Allegations Are Serious, Will Reapply"

Meanwhile, the special prosecutor's team expressed discomfort over the court's dismissal of arrest warrants for IMS Mobility CEO Cho Youngtak and others implicated in the 'Butler Gate' scandal, calling it "very unusual." The team plans to supplement the investigation and reapply for arrest warrants.

Yonhap News Agency

At a press briefing on the afternoon of the 3rd, Deputy Special Prosecutor Kim Hyeonggeun stated that the court dismissed the arrest warrants for Cho and others, citing that "the seriousness of the charges was not sufficiently substantiated to justify detention," and remarked, "We have not seen such a case before; it is unusual."

Earlier that day, the court dismissed the arrest warrants for CEO Cho, Mo Jaeyong, director of management support at IMS Mobility, and Min Kyungmin, CEO of Oasis Equity Partners, stating that "the necessity for detention and other requirements were not sufficiently substantiated."

Deputy Special Prosecutor Kim emphasized, "I believe it is not consistent with the principle of equality before the law for such serious charges to result in non-custodial prosecution due to insufficient substantiation," adding, "We will reapply for arrest warrants for Cho and the others."

He further stated, "Above all, there is a significant risk of evidence destruction as the investigation proceeds, and we must prevent the wrong signal that this case is not serious from reaching future accomplices. The risk of evidence destruction is very high, and this matter must be reconsidered."