Violations of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act and the Political Funds Act
Arrest Warrant Lists Kim Kunhee as Recipient
Special Prosecutor Requests Arrest Warrant for Park Changuk, North Gyeongsang Provincial Council Member
Kwon Seongdong Arrest Consent Bill Submitted to Court
The special prosecutor team led by Min Jungki, investigating allegations related to First Lady Kim Kunhee, requested an arrest warrant on September 12 for former prosecutor Kim Sangmin, who is under suspicion for nomination solicitation. The special prosecutor suspects that Kim handed over a painting by artist Lee Ufan to the First Lady in exchange for a nomination.
Former Chief Prosecutor Sangmin Kim, who was involved in the "Myeong Taekyun Nomination Interference" case, is responding to reporters' questions as he appears as a suspect at the Kim Gunhee Special Prosecutor's Office set up in the KT Gwanghwamun Building, Jongno-gu, Seoul on September 9, 2025. Photo by Cho Yongjun
Deputy Special Prosecutor Park Sangjin stated at a regular briefing that day, "We have requested an arrest warrant for former prosecutor Kim on charges of violating the Political Funds Act and the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act."
The special prosecutor team confirmed that Kim delivered Lee Ufan's painting, "From Point No. 800298," to Kim Jinwoo, the brother of the First Lady, after discovering it during a search of Kim Jinwoo's mother-in-law's residence. They applied charges under the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act. Regardless of the painting's authenticity, the special prosecutor team assessed its value as over 100 million won, which was the price Kim paid to purchase it.
The authenticity of the painting has not yet been clearly determined. The special prosecutor team requested appraisals from the Korea Gallery Association and the Korea Art Appraisal Center, which reportedly concluded "forgery" and "genuine" respectively.
The special prosecutor team suspects that, in return for receiving the painting, the First Lady's side may have assisted Kim in securing a nomination for last year's general election and in his appointment as a legal advisor to the National Intelligence Service. It is reported that the arrest warrant application lists the First Lady as the recipient.
Kim has denied the allegations, stating, "I only brokered the purchase of the painting at Kim Jinwoo's request."
Kim is also facing charges of accepting political funds. He is suspected of having election campaign vehicle rental fees paid on his behalf by an associate of Park, while preparing to run in last year's general election. Park, known as "Jonber Kim," is currently on trial for allegedly issuing and listing the scam coin "Podo" between February 2021 and April 2022, fraudulently obtaining 80.9 billion won.
Additionally, the special prosecutor team has requested arrest warrants for Park Changuk, a member of the North Gyeongsang Provincial Council (then a candidate), on charges of soliciting a nomination from Jeonseongbae, also known as Geonjin Bopsa, ahead of the June 2022 local elections. Businessman Kim, who delivered Park's solicitation to Jeonseongbae at the time, also faces an arrest warrant for violating the Political Funds Act. The warrant review hearings for these individuals will be held on the 15th.
'Unification Church Solicitation Allegations' Kwon Seongdong Arrest Consent Bill Submitted to Court
Kwon Seongdong, a member of the People Power Party accused of accepting illegal political funds, is present at the National Assembly plenary session on the 11th ahead of the vote on his arrest consent motion. 2025.9.11 Photo by Kim Hyunmin
Meanwhile, the special prosecutor team submitted an arrest notice to the Seoul Central District Court after the National Assembly passed the arrest consent bill for Kwon Seongdong, a member of the People Power Party, who is under an arrest warrant on charges of violating the Political Funds Act.
Kwon is accused of accepting 100 million won in illegal political funds after being asked by the Unification Church to support various events. The special prosecutor team is also investigating allegations that the Unification Church, ahead of the March 2023 party convention, enlisted a large number of its members to join the party to help Kwon win the party leadership, and that Kwon received a shopping bag filled with cash from Unification Church leader Han Hakja.
Kwon has consistently denied the charges, acknowledging that he met with Unification Church leader Han Hakja during the 2022 presidential election period but insisting that he did not receive any money. On his Facebook page, Kwon stated, "Some media outlets, the special prosecutor, and the Democratic Party are making a fuss by exaggerating the fact that I visited the Unification Church during the presidential election," adding, "It is true that I visited and greeted them, but I did not receive any money or valuables."
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