Former first lady Kim Keon Hee leaves the Seoul Central District Court after a warrant hearing on Aug. 12. (Yonhap)
Former first lady Kim Keon Hee leaves the Seoul Central District Court after a warrant hearing on Aug. 12. (Yonhap)

The special counsel led by Min Joong-ki is expected to indict former first lady Kim Keon Hee in late August when her detention period expires.

The special counsel team investigating allegations against Kim announced Wednesday that her detention period has been extended until Aug. 31. Among the ongoing probes, three major allegations were deemed to require further investigation. The team said additional time was necessary as the former first lady has continued to deny allegations and exercise her right to remain silent.

Under the Criminal Procedure Act, a prosecutor can extend a suspect’s initial 10-day detention period once, by no more than 10 days, with the permission of the court. The court issued a grant to detain Kim on Aug. 12 over evidence-tampering concerns linked to multiple charges against her. Investigators can keep her detained for a maximum of 18 months, as each of the three tiers of the district, appellate and Supreme Court permits up to six months of detention.

The special counsel had requested that Kim appear for questioning Wednesday, but Kim submitted a written statement explaining her health-related absence. Considering the circumstances, the team rescheduled the questioning session for 2 p.m. Thursday, to which Kim’s legal representatives have agreed.

The special counsel team reportedly plans to question the former first lady regarding her connections to shaman Jeon Seong-bae, also known as Geon Jin, and the Unification Church.

Jeon, who previously held a minor leadership role in Yoon Suk Yeol’s 2022 presidential campaign, is believed to have influenced decision-making and lobbying efforts post-election. He is also suspected of acting as an intermediary for Kim Keon Hee in alleged bribery schemes.

The special counsel team alleges that Jeon received a diamond necklace worth 60 million won ($42,900) and two Chanel handbags from a high-ranking Unification Church official to pass on to Kim. The church official, surnamed Yoon, sought to gain Kim’s favor for projects in the church’s interests, including business operations in Cambodia.

The team has also raised suspicions that a large number of Unification Church members joined the People Power Party and that the alleged tripartite corruption ties also included Rep. Kweon Seong-dong, a former People Power Party floor leader.

Jeon and the Unification Church official are thought to have interfered in the People Power Party’s leadership race by enlisting Unification Church members to join the party and support Kweon’s bid for floor leader in 2023.

After acquiring testimony from Yoon that the church provided funds for Kweon in a questioning session on July 30, the special counsel team made two separate attempts to carry out search and seizure operations of the People Power Party headquarters in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Aug. 13 and Tuesday.

The team tried to secure the People Power Party membership list, but the investigators withdrew from the building as the party refused to cooperate in the warrant execution. It insisted that the membership list could not be provided since it contained personal information.

The Political Parties Act stipulates that authorities can examine a party's member list in the case of a criminal investigation and if the court issues a warrant. There are protective measures to ensure that investigators do not disclose any information regarding the identities of party members.

Kim has been taken into custody on charges including violation of the Political Funds Act, the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act, and bribery.

If the special counsel indicts her on criminal charges, Kim will be the first former first lady to face a criminal trial as a defendant.


sj_lee@heraldcorp.com