ED Former first lady's charges
Kim Keon Hee, wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, arrives at the special counsel’s office in central Seoul, Wednesday, for questioning as a criminal suspect. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
Thorough probes and stern punishment needed for Kim
Former first lady Kim Keon Hee, wife of the impeached and detained former President Yoon Suk Yeol, underwent nearly 11 hours of questioning by a special counsel over corruption charges. Former first ladies have been questioned previously, but not in the public light. Kim standing for photos and addressing the press as she proceeded to questioning at the special prosecutors' office was an unprecedented and ignominious moment in contemporary Korean democracy.
Referring to herself as a "nobody," she apologized for causing concern to the public. It was a statement and an image that bore an odd sense similarity to a scene in December 2021, when her husband was running neck-and-neck with Lee Jae Myung for the presidency. As concerns mounted over her falsified academic degrees and allegations that she was involved in Deutsch Motors stock manipulation as far back as 2009, she appeared in public, vowing, "I will deeply review my past misdoings and make sure to not go against the public's standards. I will dedicate myself to my role as wife to the president."
Between that apology and Kim's appearance Wednesday lies a set of facts that should be brought to light with finality and verified on multiple levels. The special counsel seems prepared to do so, requesting an arrest warrant for Kim on Thursday.
For a nation that has survived six months of unprecedented political chaos brought on by the former president, the special counsel probe demonstrates the need to search for truths. After watching Kim on Wednesday, many must be viewing the circumstances with regret, grieving a missed opportunity for apologies and courage from those who held the nation's highest office. Bringing the truth to light can entail pain. We can only withstand it knowing that the law is applied equally to everyone, and justice is served to all in a democratic society.
The highly obstinate and idiosyncratic operation of the former incumbent of the presidential office, with no special oversight of the first lady's affairs or over family members and relatives of the presidential couple, was a barrier to upholding the presidency's integrity.
The special counsel investigation into the former first lady is one of three launched with the approval of the National Assembly, opening these independent probes into unresolved allegations.
Kim faces 16 charges, ranging from a stock manipulation scandal involving Deutsch Motors to a behind-the-scenes intervention in candidate nominations for the People Power Party's 2022 by-elections and the 2024 general elections. She is also being investigated to see whether she, although not directly but as wife of the nation's top elected official, did not fully disclose financial assets, triggered by her wearing a Van Cleef pendant worth 60 million won ($43,200) to the NATO summit in 2022. She has since claimed that the pendant was a fake. She was also questioned for allegedly receiving two Chanel bags and a diamond necklace from a religious group, possibly in return for aiding their overseas projects.
She has not invoked her right to remain silent, and cooperated during her first special counsel investigation. Kim should continue to cooperate with the investigations. The public remembers that she was investigated previously over the Deutsch Motors stock manipulation scandal during her husband's tenure and was cleared. Public ire was raised when it was revealed that the former first lady was questioned in a special separate facility. This time, the special counsel should peel away the layers of lingering doubt over whether Kim was given the velvet-glove treatment because of her position.
Investigators should thoroughly look into any missing links and overlooked facts, and examine all potential interpretations of events to fully persuade the public that equal application of laws and equal access to justice is ensured in Korea.