Widow undergoes probe, denies role in daughter's death

Seo Hae-soon, the widow of legendary folk singer Kim Kwang-seok who is suspected of playing a role in his death, responds to questions by reporters at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, Thursday. / Yonhap

By You Soo-sun

The widow of legendary folk singer Kim Kwang-seok underwent police questioning, Thursday, over her alleged involvement in their daughter’s death. Previously she claimed her withholding information of the death from Kim’s family was irrelevant.

Seo Hae-soon is accused by Kim’s family members of deliberately withholding information of the death during a trial over Kim’s copyright, which belonged to her daughter at the time, to keep receiving royalties. She appeared at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, at 1:50 p.m. for questioning, before which she made some controversial comments.

Seo claimed her daughter did not have any breathing problems just a few hours before she died of acute pneumonia. She also criticized and demanded an apology from Lee Sang-ho, a journalist whose documentary raised the possibility Seo killed both her daughter and husband who died a sudden death in 1996 in what was originally deemed a suicide.

“I wonder if it was to make money, and whether he was in his right state of mind,” Seo said referring to Lee. “I will take legal action and make a movie about him to see whether he is a true journalist.”

Seo’s daughter died at their private residence in Gyeonggi Province, in December 2007. But Seo did not inform her family and acquaintances, asserting she was healthy and living in the U.S. She is also accused of delaying calling the emergency services when her daughter was suffering from acute pneumonia.