Korean Mata Hari Denies Sleeping With Defense Minister

A Korean-American female lobbyist who several years ago made headlines in Korea for her reported romantic relationship with a defense minister to win a lucrative arms contract, denied this week that she actually didn’t have sex with the government official.

The year 2000 scandal involved Linda Kim, then 47, and Lee Yang-ho, the South Korean defense minister at that time. It tantalized the nation when newspapers gave daily updates of the allegation ― including publication of love letters allegedly sent by the ex-defense minister to the female lobbyist.

The scandal reached a climax when Lee told a daily, JoongAng Ilbo, that he twice had sex with her. Kim was married with two daughters.

“There was nothing inappropriate in our relationship. I swear that on the names of my daughters,” said Kim in an interview with Chosun Ilbo Saturday.

She allegedly secured a multi-million dollar contract from the Korean defense ministry for a Texas-based company, E-Systems, by engaging in illegal lobbying, including offering money and sex in return for favors.

“He used to come to my hotel room after his work. Probably scores of times. But during that time, we didn’t even hold our hands,” she said. “If I was really thinking about sleeping with him, why would I do it only twice as alleged?”

Kim said the minister made the statement after being misled by the newspaper that reportedly coaxed him to “acknowledge having sex. Then the media would not bother him any more.”

“I cannot believe he could have been so naive like that. I was aghast,” said Kim in the newspaper interview.

Further allegations then surfaced that at least four other senior government officials had been involved in her lobbying activities.

She denied inappropriate relations with any of them.

Investigations soon fizzled and Kim was released on probation.

Kim, 167-centimeter tall, was described in the newspaper as “in good trim figure,” with a taste for luxury clothes, suffers from depression as a consequence of the 2000 scandal, it said.