The special prosecutor team led by Min Junggi indicted Kim Gunhee on December 26 in connection with the so-called "buying and selling of public office" allegations.
On this day, the special prosecutor's office announced to the media that it had indicted seven individuals, including Mrs. Kim, Lee Bonggwan, Chairman of Seohui Construction, Lee Baeyong, former Chairperson of the National Education Commission, Park (a secretary to former Chairperson Lee), robot dog entrepreneur Seo Seongbin, and Pastor Choi Jaeyoung.
Kim Gunhee, who was arrested and indicted on charges including stock manipulation of Deutsch Motors, interference in candidate nominations by Myung Taekyun, and allegations of solicitation and bribery involving the Unification Church, appeared at the sentencing trial for violation of the Capital Market Act held at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on December 3, 2025, and is seen conversing with her attorney. Photo by Joint Press Corps
Mrs. Kim is accused of receiving a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace worth approximately 10.38 million won from Chairman Lee between March 15 and May 20, 2022, in exchange for business favors and for the appointment of his eldest son-in-law, attorney Park Seonggeun, to a public office. She is also charged with receiving a gold turtle and other items worth about 2.65 million won from former Chairperson Lee on April 26 and in early June of the same year, allegedly in return for a request to appoint Lee as Chairperson of the National Education Commission.
She is further accused of receiving a Vacheron Constantin wristwatch worth about 39.9 million won from Mr. Seo on September 8, 2022, in connection with a request for support for his robot dog business, and of receiving a painting by artist Lee Ufan worth about 140 million won from former Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim Sangmin in February of the following year, along with a request for nomination in the general election.
The so-called "Dior bag bribery case" is also included, in which she allegedly received a Dior bag and other items worth a total of 5.4 million won from Pastor Choi between June 20 and September 13, 2022, in connection with a request related to official duties.
The special prosecutor's office stated that Mrs. Kim has been charged with receiving bribes for influence peddling under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes in connection with these allegations.
Chairman Lee, Mr. Seo, and Pastor Choi, as the providers of the bribes, have been indicted for violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act.
Former Chairperson Lee is accused of instructing Park to delete mobile phone message records related to Mrs. Kim in September of this year (evidence destruction instigation), while Park is charged with carrying out the instruction (evidence destruction). However, former Chairperson Lee was not charged in relation to the provision of the gold turtle.
The special prosecutor's office announced that further investigation is needed into the bribery allegations involving the former President Yoon and his wife, and that the case will be referred to the National Office of Investigation of the National Police Agency. In addition, the office stated that it plans to thoroughly confiscate and recover any criminal proceeds Mrs. Kim obtained through violations of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes related to influence peddling.
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