Yoon to Be Summoned After Questioning Mrs. Kim Over 'Sale of Public Office' Allegations
Mrs. Kim's Mother and Brother Reappear for Questioning... Investigation Nears Conclusion
The special prosecutor's team led by Min Junggi, which is investigating various allegations related to Kim Keonhee, is expected to soon notify former President Yoon Sukyeol of a summons.
Former President Yoon Sukyeol is greeting supporters as he leaves the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and moves to his private residence in Seocho-dong on April 11, 2025. Photo by Yoon Dongju
On the 11th, a member of the special prosecutor's team held a regular briefing and stated, "We are planning to question former President Yoon after completing the investigation of Mrs. Kim," adding, "Since we are collecting the details to be included in the summons notice, it would not be incorrect to say that the summons will be issued within this week."
The special prosecutor's team plans to summon Mrs. Kim on the 24th to investigate the 'sale of public office' allegations and to determine whether former President Yoon was involved.
Lee Bonggwan, Chairman of Seohi Construction, previously submitted a confession stating that in March 2022, he gave Mrs. Kim expensive jewelry, including a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace, and requested, through lawyer Park Sunggeun, a former prosecutor, that Park be given an opportunity to serve in public office. In fact, about three months after the necklace was delivered, Park was appointed as Chief Secretary to then-Prime Minister Han Ducksoo.
An investigation is also expected into the 'gold turtle public office sale' allegations involving Lee Baeyong, former Chairperson of the National Education Commission.
Among the three special prosecutor teams (Kim Keonhee, insurrection, and Private Chae), former President Yoon has only failed to appear for questioning by the Kim Keonhee team. In July, the special prosecutor's team obtained an arrest warrant for former President Yoon and attempted to bring him in by force, but ultimately failed to have him sit for questioning.
Kim Keonhee's mother and brother reappear for questioning over 'Yangpyeong development favors'; Kim Sunghoon appears for the first time over 'navy yacht party'
Additionally, on this day, the special prosecutor's team summoned Mrs. Kim's mother, Choi Eunsun, and brother, Kim Geonwoo, for questioning regarding the 'Yangpyeong Gongheung District development favors' allegations, and also summoned Kim Sunghoon, former Deputy Chief of Presidential Security, regarding the 'navy yacht party' allegations. It is reported that none of them have exercised their right to remain silent.
This is the second time that Choi and Kim, who are both accused of causing losses to the state treasury under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes, have appeared before the special prosecutor's team, following their previous appearance on the 4th. At that time, they were questioned for about 12 hours and reportedly denied most of the charges.
The special prosecutor's team suspects that ESI&D, Mrs. Kim's family company, received special treatment in the Yangpyeong Gongheung District apartment development project, such as not paying any development charges. Yangpyeong County initially imposed development charges of over 1.7 billion won, but after two rounds of objections and correction requests, decided not to impose any charges at all.
After suspicions of preferential treatment emerged ahead of the 20th presidential election, Yangpyeong County belatedly imposed development charges of approximately 187 million won on ESI&D in November 2021. The Gyeonggi Southern Police Agency's Anti-Corruption and Economic Crime Investigation Unit, which investigated the case, referred five individuals, including Kim, to the prosecution in May 2023, but decided not to refer Choi and Mrs. Kim, concluding there was no evidence of their involvement.
Separately from the preferential treatment allegations, the special prosecutor's team also applied charges of obstruction of justice, destruction of evidence, and concealment of evidence, based on the discovery of various items suspected to have been unlawfully received by Mrs. Kim at Choi's place of business and at the home of Kim's mother-in-law.
A member of the special prosecutor's team explained, "We do not plan to conduct any further questioning after today," and added, "The investigation team aims to complete the questioning today."
Additionally, the special prosecutor's team summoned former Deputy Chief Kim for the first time as a suspect on charges of violating the Presidential Security Act and other offenses. The team suspects that Mrs. Kim held a yacht party with former President Yoon aboard the VIP yacht of the Navy's flagship in August 2023. The core issue is the alleged private use of military assets. According to the Presidential Security Act, officials of the Presidential Security Service must not abuse their authority. The special prosecutor's team also recognizes Mrs. Kim as a suspect in connection with this allegation.
The special prosecutor's team is expected to focus on whether former Deputy Chief Kim received specific instructions from the former presidential couple regarding the use of the VIP yacht at the time of the incident.
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