Special counsel seeks arrest warrant for former first lady Kim Keon Hee

Kim Keon Hee, the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, arrives at the office of the special counsel at KT Gwanghwamun Building West in central Seoul, Wednesday, to face questioning as a criminal suspect. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Prosecutors filed a pre-trial detention warrant on Thursday for Kim Keon Hee, wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, on charges of stock manipulation and bribery. This marks the first time in Korean history that a former first lady has faced arrest. This decision was made just one day after Kim was questioned for 12 hours as a criminal suspect by the special counsel.

This signals a significant escalation in the special counsel’s investigation into corruption allegations surrounding the former presidential couple. Prosecutors contend that Kim’s suspected role in manipulating shares of Deutsch Motors, a local car dealership, amounts to a serious economic crime and raises concerns that she could tamper with evidence. The Seoul Central District Court is expected to review the arrest request early next week.

This development comes amid a separate case against Yoon, who has refused to cooperate with investigators twice while being held at the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, on separate charges. A second attempt to arrest him in his prison cell on Thursday morning collapsed after he again refused to comply, prompting prosecutors to abandon the effort amid concerns over possible injury.

The special counsel team arrived at the detention center at around 8:25 a.m. to enforce an arrest warrant issued last month in connection with alleged illegal campaign activities. However, the operation was called off by 9:40 a.m. due to what officials described as “strong resistance.”

According to Yoon’s legal team, more than 10 members of the special counsel team allegedly grabbed his arms and legs in an attempt to forcibly remove him from his chair and escort him to the interrogation room. They claimed that Yoon fell to the floor during the struggle and injured his back and arm when his chair tipped over.

Prosecutors from the special counsel team investigating allegations involving Kim Keon Hee, wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, leave the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, after a failed attempt to question Yoon, Thursday. Yonhap

“This is the first time in Korean history that a detained suspect has been subjected to such manhandling under an arrest warrant,” one of the attorneys said.

During the first attempt on Aug. 1, Yoon reportedly lay on the floor in his underwear to avoid being taken away — a bizarre scene that shocked even veteran law enforcement officers. His lawyer claimed that Yoon had been “changing clothes” at the time. With the warrant due to expire, prosecutors had little time left to act.

Yoon has been in custody since July 10 over separate charges relating to his Dec. 3 martial law declaration. He is also accused of accepting free campaign polling services from a broker in exchange for helping secure a nomination for another person. He has ignored two summonses from prosecutors.

His legal team has criticized the special counsel's attempt as political theater. They argue that, under current criminal procedure law, any statement made during an uncooperative interrogation is inadmissible unless affirmed voluntarily by the suspect. They say that forcing someone into questioning serves no legitimate purpose.

Critics have also seized on Yoon’s personal history to question his stability. A former prosecutor who famously failed the national bar exam eight times before passing on his ninth attempt, Yoon is known for his rigid and combative personality, which has alienated many within his own party. His refusal to comply, coupled with his defiant disregard for court orders, has drawn comparisons to autocratic behavior.

After the first attempt failed, the special counsel publicly warned that force would be used if necessary. Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho later ordered detention officials to “ensure the lawful and impartial execution of the warrant.”

The special counsel is now considering whether to seek a new warrant. However, even if Yoon is taken to the interrogation room, he is widely expected to remain silent, which could lead to prosecutors indicting him without directly questioning him.