He faces 16 allegations in total, including the suspicion that he illegally received a luxury bag from a former executive of the Unification Church (formerly the Family Federation). The special prosecutor had Kim appear for questioning the previous day. Kim is suspected
The South Korean newspaper Hankyoreh, which reported Kim's appearance on the 7th, said in an editorial on the same day, "Although many suspicions have been raised and many criminal allegations have been made against him, he has denied most of the allegations."
"It was a symbolic scene that showed the collapse of the sanctuary that had reigned as extraterritoriality, without even a proper investigation being carried out," he said. "Privileges should be subject to swift and rigorous investigation to prove equality under the law.
Kim has been attracting attention since her husband, Yoon, announced his candidacy for the 2022 presidential election. While her husband was busy with his election campaign, suspicions arose that Kim had falsified her resume.
When Kim applied for a professorship at Suwon Women's University in 2006, it was reported that she had provided false resumes and award records in her application. Since then, one after another, false resumes have come to light.
In South Korea, a competitive society, public opinion is critical of the backgrounds of influential people and their families, and at the time, her husband, a presidential candidate, was running on the platform of "fairness," so Kim was still reluctant to accept the position.
At the time, despite being the wife of a presidential candidate, she attracted attention in an unexpected way and was subjected to severe criticism. At a press conference held afterwards, Kim said, "I exaggerated and wrote incorrectly to make myself look good.
He admitted to some of the facts, saying, "There are some things," and apologized, saying, "It was so embarrassing." At the press conference, he spoke candidly about his encounter with Yoon, and it was his innocent appearance that earned him the support of voters.
She was well-received. When her husband takes office as president in May 2022, attention was drawn to her every move as First Lady. She has formed an online fan club that is on a par with idol groups.
However, various allegations emerged surrounding Kim, and Yoon was subjected to severe scrutiny from the opposition party during his term. The allegations against Kim also contributed to Yoon's declining approval rating.
In a press conference in February, Yoon apologized, saying, "I have caused concern to the public about my surroundings. I sincerely apologize." Kim has also been accused of being involved in manipulating the stock prices of an automobile company and receiving expensive bras from acquaintances.
At the time, the opposition Democratic Party of Korea proposed a bill to have a special prosecutor independent of the government investigate the allegations against Kim.
However, Yoon exercised his veto. After that, Yoon declared "emergency martial law" in December last year. Emergency martial law is a type of martial law stipulated in the South Korean Constitution, and is used in times of war and other emergencies.
It was a state of emergency, declared by the president in cases of military necessity or to maintain public order. It was the first time martial law had been declared since democratization in 1987. Yoon was able to declare it in just six hours.
Although the state of emergency was lifted, political and social unrest was widespread, and Yoon was subsequently impeached and removed from office in April of this year. The background to Yoon's declaration of "state of emergency" was the numerous suspicions surrounding his wife, Kim.
It has been pointed out that the desperate situation his wife found himself in was the final push that led Yoon to decide to impose martial law.
The special prosecutor, who is conducting an independent investigation, is investigating multiple allegations surrounding Kim.
As mentioned above, the suspicions surrounding Kim include his involvement in the manipulation of stock prices at a German car import and sales company run by an acquaintance, and his involvement in the manipulation of stock prices at a German car import and sales company run by an acquaintance through a former Unification Church official.
The total number of charges includes 16 counts of fraudulently receiving luxury brand bags, diamond necklaces, and other items from officials. When Kim appeared in court on the 6th, he told reporters, "I want to show the people that I am not a person who can do anything."
"I apologize for causing concern to those who are not involved," he said. According to Yonhap News Agency, the questioning began around 10:30 a.m. and ended at 6 p.m. He largely denied the charges.
The following day, on the 7th, the special prosecutor requested an arrest warrant for Kim. Due to concerns that he might destroy evidence, the priority was given to securing his custody rather than asking him to appear again.
In an editorial on the 7th, the South Korean newspaper Hankyoreh said, "In the past, Kim has bowed his head when he faced strong public criticism.
"But then he has repeatedly ignored the issue, as if to ask when he had ever done such a thing," he said. "The only way to rebuild the country that was destroyed by the Yoon Seok-yeol and Kim Kun-hee couple is to
"We demand a thorough investigation and appropriate punishment."
2025/08/08 11:33 KST
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