SEOUL: Former South Korean first lady Kim Keon Hee appeared before a special counsel on Wednesday to face questioning over alleged involvement in stock manipulation, election meddling and other charges.
Kim, the wife of jailed former President Yoon Suk Yeol, arrived late at the office of special counsel Min Joong-ki.
She is the first spouse of a sitting or former president to publicly appear as a suspect in a criminal probe, according to Yonhap news agency.
She is accused of participating in a stock price manipulation scheme involving Deutsch Motors, a BMW dealer in South Korea, between 2009 and 2012.
Kim is also suspected of meddling in candidate nominations during the 2022 parliamentary by-elections and the 2024 general elections.
In addition, she allegedly received luxury gifts from the Unification Church through a shaman in return for business favours.
“She will go in there and testify to the way things are,“ her legal team told Yonhap.
The special counsel is investigating a total of 16 criminal allegations against her, suggesting further summons are likely.
In past cases, other first ladies were also questioned by prosecutors, though not publicly at the time.
In 2004, Lee Soon Ja, wife of former President Chun Doo Hwan, was questioned in a slush fund case. In 2009, Kwon Yang Sook, wife of former President Roh Moo Hyun, was summoned as a witness in a corruption probe. - Bernama-Yonhap
