Kim Ki-hyun's Wife Questioned Over "Roger Vivier Gift"
On December 5, the special prosecutor team led by Min Jungki, which is investigating allegations related to First Lady Kim Keonhee, executed an arrest warrant for Koo Sehyun, former CEO of Wellbiotech, who has been indicted and detained on charges of stock price manipulation involving Wellbiotech and has repeatedly refused to comply with summons for questioning. It has been confirmed that since being incarcerated in the detention center, Koo has consistently refused to cooperate with the investigation.
According to legal sources, at around 1 p.m. on the same day, the special prosecutor team executed the arrest warrant for Koo, who is being held at Seoul Detention Center, and is currently questioning him at an office located in Jongno-gu, Seoul.
Since his indictment and detention on November 14 on charges of aggravated breach of trust under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes and violations of the Capital Markets Act, Koo has refused to participate in the investigation, citing health reasons.
The special prosecutor team is also expected to question Koo regarding suspicions that he assisted Lee Kihoon, former Vice Chairman of Sambu Construction, in fleeing the country.
Koo is accused of conspiring with Chairman Yang Namhee, Vice Chairman Park Kwangnam, Sambu Construction Chairman Lee Iljun, and former Vice Chairman Lee, among others, to manipulate stock prices and gain illicit profits amounting to approximately 30.2111 billion won.
Wellbiotech is suspected of deceiving investors around May 2023 by making it appear as though the company would participate in reconstruction projects in Ukraine, thereby engaging in price manipulation. The special prosecutor team suspects that this was done in a manner similar to the stock price manipulation involving Sambu Construction during the same period. Wellbiotech is a company in which Lee Iljun, Chairman of Sambu Construction, is the largest shareholder, and it attended the Ukraine Reconstruction Forum in May 2023.
Subsequently, as both Wellbiotech and Sambu Construction were categorized as "Ukraine reconstruction theme stocks," their share prices surged. During this period, investors reportedly gained approximately 40 billion won in capital gains through the issuance and sale of convertible bonds (CB). At that time, Wellbiotech's stock price soared from the 1,400-1,500 won range to just above 5,000 won.
On November 13, the special prosecutor team arrested Chairman Yang and sought an arrest warrant on charges including violations of the Capital Markets Act. However, the court dismissed the warrant, citing a low risk of flight and evidence destruction.
Vice Chairman Park, who is also under investigation by the special prosecutor, has consistently failed to comply with summons since leaving for the United States in July. The special prosecutor team has initiated procedures for an Interpol Red Notice and passport invalidation against Park.
Additionally, regarding the "Roger Vivier solicitation allegations," the special prosecutor team summoned and is questioning Lee, the spouse of People Power Party lawmaker Kim Ki-hyun, from the morning of the same day. Lee is suspected of delivering a Roger Vivier clutch bag worth approximately 2.6 million won to the First Lady after Kim was elected as the party leader in the People Power Party leadership election in March 2023.
Based on Lee's testimony, the special prosecutor team is expected to consider whether to formally name Assemblyman Kim as a suspect.
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