Former first lady accused of posts-for-luxury scheme

The unprecedented jailing of both a former president and former first lady stems from allegations that Kim Keon-hee used her position to engage in what critics describe as a “sale of public office” scheme. The special counsel’s investigation concluded that Kim accepted luxury goods worth tens of millions of won and entertained requests for official appointments, leading to bribery charges. Prosecutors also suspect she may have influenced National Assembly nominations and other government appointments in return for valuables.

The special counsel, led by Min Jung-ki, is intensifying its investigation into the so-called “sale of public office” allegations, in addition to three existing probes: the Deutsche Motors stock manipulation case, interference in Myung Tae-kyun’s National Assembly nomination, and influence-peddling involving a shaman and the Unification Church. Prosecutors say Kim received luxury jewelry worth about 100 million won from Seohee Construction Chairman Lee Bong-gwan, including a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace, brooch, and earrings, and arranged for Lee’s son-in-law to be appointed chief secretary to the prime minister. The special counsel plans to summon Kim at 10 a.m. on the 14th for her first questioning since her detention, focusing on the bribery allegations.

According to legal sources on the 13th, the special counsel confirmed that Kim accepted not only a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace worth about 60 million won, which she wore during a NATO tour in June 2022, but also a brooch valued at 30 million won and earrings worth 20 million won from Lee. Investigators believe Lee first gave her the necklace in March 2022 to congratulate her husband’s election victory, then met her a month later to present the brooch and earrings along with a request for an appointment. The probe has also widened to determine whether a Tiffany brooch worth 20 million won and a Cartier bracelet valued at 15 million won, both worn by Kim at public events during the trip, were bribes linked to official favors.

Investigators also suspect Kim may have influenced not only official appointments but also the awarding of government contracts. They are examining whether her involvement played a role when businessman Seo secured a deal to supply robotic guard dogs to the presidential security service shortly after giving her a Vacheron Constantin watch worth about 50 million won in September 2022. Seo has also claimed that Kim offered him a public relations role in the presidential office, further linking him to the allegations of selling public positions.

The investigation into possible favoritism in the relocation of the presidential residence has also gained momentum. On the 13th, the special counsel raided the interior design company that worked on the residence, the Board of Audit and Inspection, and the home of former Land, Infrastructure and Transport First Vice Minister Kim Oh-jin, who served as management secretary at the presidential office. A legal source said that while the official grounds for Kim’s detention were the risk of false testimony and destruction of evidence, the political impact of allegations that the former first lady accepted luxury goods in exchange for public positions made avoiding detention virtually impossible.


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