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Probe into former first lady likely to accelerate with arrest of ex-president

The re-arrest of former President Yoon Suk Yeol is expected to inject new momentum into a separate special counsel probe targeting his wife, Kim Keon Hee, as investigators intensify efforts to examine allegations involving the former first couple. A team of 120 prosecutors is currently investigating both Yoon and his wife. Judge Nam Se-jin of the Seoul Central District Court issued an arrest warrant for Yoon early Thursday, citing concerns over potential evidence tampering. The decision came after a nearly seven-hour pretrial detention hearing on Wednesday, addressing charges that include obstruction of official duties. Yoon, by then officially suspended from his presidential powers and duties, was arrested on Jan. 15, 2025, on insurrection charges. He was released 52 days later, after a Seoul court nullified his arrest, ruling that prosecutors had filed the indictment after his detention order had expired — a procedural lapse that made his confinement unlawful. With Yoon back in custody, legal experts say the special counsel team led by Special Prosecutor Min Joong-ki — widely known

Jul 11, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
Probe into former first lady likely to accelerate with arrest of ex-president

Ex-first lady's associate asked to return home for questioning by special counsel

Special Prosecutor Min Joong-ki's team investigating various allegations involving former first lady Kim Keon Hee said Friday that an allegedly fugitive man known as her business associate should immediately return from abroad and undergo questioning. The 48-year-old man, named Kim Ye-seong, who is often dubbed the butler of the former first lady's family, has not returned home after leaving the country in April this year amid suspicions that he had received 18 billion won ($13.1 million) in dubious investments from several companies through his rental car company IMS in 2023. There have been press reports that Kim would voluntarily return to Korea to face questioning by the special counsel team. But Assistant Special Prosecutor Moon Hong-ju said that the special counsel team has not received any message from him regarding his intention to return home. "If Kim's reported remarks are true, he is supposed to convey his intentions to the special counsel, not to the media," Moon said in a media briefing, promising to conduct the investigation in accordance with the laws and due procedures.

Jul 11, 2025By Yonhap
Ex-first lady's associate asked to return home for questioning by special counsel

Arrested ex-President Yoon fails to appear for questioning by special counsel

Arrested former President Yoon Suk Yeol failed to appear Friday for questioning by a special counsel over his attempt to impose martial law. Yoon, who has been held at the Seoul Detention Center since his second arrest Thursday, submitted a written reason for absence to special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team ahead of the scheduled questioning at 2 p.m. "Former President Yoon submitted a reason for absence citing health reasons," assistant special counsel Park Ji-young said during a press briefing. "In response, the special counsel asked the Seoul Detention Center for material showing why health problems were found during his admission to prevent him from appearing for questioning." In the event Yoon's absence cannot be explained, Park suggested the special counsel will take steps to bring him in by force. "You can assume we will proceed in line with the steps under the Criminal Procedure Code," she said. Yoon was taken into custody early Thursday after a court issued a warrant to arrest him on five key charges, including his alleged violation of the rights of Cabinet members by calling only a

Jul 11, 2025By Yonhap
Arrested ex-President Yoon fails to appear for questioning by special counsel

Probe deepens into claims ex-leader ordered drone incursion over Pyongyang

Did former President Yoon Suk Yeol authorize a covert drone operation over Pyongyang as a pretext for declaring martial law? This question lies at the heart of a high-profile investigation led by special prosecutor Cho Eun-seok. The probe has intensified following Yoon’s arrest, Thursday, as investigators focus on allegations that he sought to exploit military tensions with North Korea to manufacture a crisis — one that would justify issuing an emergency decree on Dec. 3. The team is now examining whether the former commander-in-chief directly and unnecessarily ordered the Drone Operations Command to deploy unmanned aerial vehicles into North Korean airspace in October, just two months before declaring martial law. On Oct. 11, North Korea accused the South Korean military of sending drones over Pyongyang on three separate occasions — Oct. 3, 9 and 11 — to drop anti-regime propaganda leaflets. The North warned it would respond with force if such flights were repeated. Audio recordings the investigators reportedly secured from active-duty officers indicate that the drone missions m

Jul 10, 2025By Jung Min-ho
Probe deepens into claims ex-leader ordered drone incursion over Pyongyang

Ex-Marine investigator to be reinstated after acquittal of insubordination charges

The Marine Corps said Thursday it will reinstate a former Marine investigator who led a probe into the 2023 death of a young conscript, as he was acquitted of insubordination charges related to the case. Former Col. Park Jung-hun will be reinstated Friday, the Marine Corps said in a notice to the press, after he was dismissed from the post in August 2023 in a probe related to the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun. The reinstatement comes as a special prosecutor looking into the death decided Wednesday not to pursue an appeal against a court ruling that found Park innocent of charges that he disobeyed an order when ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol was in office. Park was initially accused of the insubordination charges following an internal probe he led into the death of the corporal who was swept away and killed by a torrent during a search for missing flood victims in July 2023. A district court had earlier found Park innocent of charges that he went ahead and referred his initial findings to police despite an order from higher-ups that he hold the planned police referral of the findings.

Jul 10, 2025By Yonhap
Ex-Marine investigator to be reinstated after acquittal of insubordination charges

Arrested ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol skips insurrection trial hearing for 1st time

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol did not attend his insurrection trial Thursday following his arrest hours earlier over his failed attempt to impose martial law. Yoon's lawyers submitted a written reason for absence to the Seoul Central District Court shortly before the 10th hearing of the trial was scheduled to begin. The bench said at the start of the hearing that the defendant had cited health reasons. It was the first time Yoon was absent from the trial. The former president is in custody at the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, just south of the capital, after the same court issued a warrant early Thursday to arrest him over charges related to his martial law bid, including alleged illegalities in calling only a few Cabinet members to a meeting held before he declared the decree on Dec. 3. This is the second time he has been arrested. The first time was in January, though he was released in March after a court accepted his request to cancel his arrest. Thursday's hearing was attended by Yoon's lawyers and the special counsel team led by special prosecutor Cho Eun-suk, which had sought

Jul 10, 2025By Yonhap
Arrested ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol skips insurrection trial hearing for 1st time

Special counsel raids defense ministry, nat'l security office in Marine death probe

Special Prosecutor Lee Myeong-hyeon's team on Thursday raided the defense ministry and the presidential National Security Office (NSO) as part of an investigation into allegations that top military officials and the presidential office intervened in an initial probe of the 2023 death of a young Marine. The team reportedly sent investigators to the NSO, the ministry's spokesperson's room, and other places and residences of those involved in the allegations in the morning to secure evidence. The team has been investigating the allegations that former President Yoon Suk Yeol vented his anger and took issue with the results of the military's investigation into the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun, who was swept away by a swollen stream during a search for torrential rain victims in July 2023. The team reportedly plans to seize NSO meeting minutes related to Yoon's alleged resentment and materials on the defense ministry's responses to media reports on the Marine's death.

Jul 10, 2025By Yonhap
Special counsel raids defense ministry, nat'l security office in Marine death probe

Ex-President Yoon in custody for 2nd time over December martial law bid

A Seoul court on Thursday issued a warrant to arrest former President Yoon Suk Yeol over his failed martial law bid, placing him in custody for the second time. Nam Se-jin, a senior judge at the Seoul Central District Court issued the warrant requested by special counsel Cho Eun-suk, citing concerns that the former president could destroy evidence. Cho's team sought the warrant on five key charges, including Yoon's alleged violation of the rights of Cabinet members by calling only a select few to a meeting held shortly before he declared martial law on Dec. 3. Yoon and his lawyers attended the hearing and rejected all charges before the former president was taken to Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, just south of the capital, to await the court's decision. Among the charges, the former president is accused of creating a false martial law declaration document after Dec. 3 to add legitimacy to his actions and having it signed by then Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and then Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun before discarding it. The other charges involve his alleged instruction to the presidential

Jul 10, 2025By Yonhap
Ex-President Yoon in custody for 2nd time over December martial law bid

Special counsel launches probe into ex-first lady's 'stewardess'

A special counsel team said Wednesday it has launched an investigation into allegations surrounding a close acquaintance of former first lady Kim Keon Hee. The team led by special counsel Min Joong-ki said the woman, surnamed Kim and known as the former first lady's "stewardess," left the country in April and has not returned. The woman is suspected of having received 18 billion won ($13 million) in investments from businesses through irregular means. "We confirmed that she transferred the addresses of her office and family members," assistant special counsel Moon Hong-ju said during a press briefing. "We plan to take steps, including invalidating her passport." Moon elaborated that the team has reason to believe the woman fled overseas and attempted to destroy evidence. The special counsel team has been tasked with investigating 16 criminal allegations against Kim, the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, including her alleged involvement in a stock price manipulation scheme and interference in election nominations.

Jul 9, 2025By Yonhap
Special counsel launches probe into ex-first lady's 'stewardess'

Ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol attends court hearing on his potential arrest

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol attended a court hearing Wednesday on his potential arrest over charges related to his failed attempt to impose martial law. The hearing at the Seoul Central District Court came after special counsel Cho Eun-suk requested a warrant to arrest Yoon over five key charges, including alleged illegalities in calling select Cabinet members to a meeting held shortly before he declared martial law on Dec. 3. Yoon entered the court building without answering reporters' questions. Among the charges, the former president is accused of creating a false martial law declaration document after Dec. 3 to add legitimacy to his actions and having it signed by then Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and then Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun before discarding it. The other charges involve his alleged instruction to the presidential spokesperson for foreign press to distribute false statements denying his intent to destroy the constitutional order through the martial law attempt, his alleged instruction to the Presidential Security Service to block his detention by investigators in early

Jul 9, 2025By Yonhap
Ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol attends court hearing on his potential arrest
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