The first investigation period of Special Counsel Min Joong-ki’s team, which is probing allegations surrounding former First Lady Kim Keon-hee, expired on September 29. The team began its work on July 2 and, over the course of 90 days, detained 14 people including Kim. It indicted cases tied to the Deutsch Motors stock manipulation scandal and the so-called “Myung Tae-kyun Gate,” allegations that prosecutors had previously failed to substantiate. The special counsel team has extended its mandate until October 29 and plans to focus on unresolved suspicions, particularly whether Kim colluded with former President Yoon Suk-yeol.

Indictments the prosecution failed to bring, the special counsel team did

On August 12, the special counsel team arrested Kim, and on August 29, they indicted her. Charges included involvement in the Deutsch Motors stock manipulation (violation of the Capital Markets Act), meddling in party nominations through political broker Myung Tae-kyun (violation of the Political Funds Act), and receiving favors and money from the Unification Church through shaman Jeon Sung-bae, also known as “Geon Jin” (violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes).

Prosecutors had previously investigated Deutsch Motors but declined to indict Kim. In October last year, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office dropped the case, citing lack of evidence that Kim conspired in or knew of the manipulation. The special counsel team, however, concluded otherwise based on a recording uncovered during a reinvestigation by the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office, in which Kim told a securities firm employee that a high profit margin, up to 40 percent, had to be given to account managers at Black Pearl Invest.

The special counsel team also indicted Kim over the Myung Tae-kyun case, finding she received 58 polls, both published and unpublished, worth some 270 million won for free ahead of the presidential election in 2022. The indictment states she and Yoon were involved in securing the party nomination for former People Power Party (PPP) lawmaker Kim Young-sun. Prosecutors in Changwon had only indicted Myung and Kim Young-sun, later transferring the case to Seoul. The Seoul office did not summon the former first lady even once before handing it over to the special counsel team.

Completing the Unification Church puzzle, and uncovering influence-peddling

The special counsel team also pieced together the Unification Church bribery case. It indicted Unification Church President Han Hak-ja, former global headquarters head Yoon Young-ho, who delivered luxury goods, and broker Jeon Sung-bae. It also secured the detention of PPP lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong, who was another channel for lobbying. The investigation is ongoing into suspicions that the Church sought to intervene in politics and state projects through the former first lady and Kweon in pursuit of “church–state unity.”

In addition, investigators uncovered signs that Kim Keon-hee engaged in selling government positions. They obtained a confession from Lee Bong-kwan, chairman of Seohee Construction, stating he had given Kim luxury gifts worth 60 million won, including a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace. This became a decisive factor in her arrest. Lee allegedly offered the gifts while asking that his son-in-law, former prosecutor Park Sung-geun, be appointed to public office. Searches of Kim’s family uncovered further luxury items, including a painting by artist Lee Ufan, luxury watches, and a golden turtle. Investigators believe the painting was given by former National Intelligence Service legal adviser Kim Sang-min (now under arrest), while the golden turtle came from Lee Bae-yong, former head of the National Education Commission, both allegedly seeking official posts.

Need to question Yoon, but many hurdles remain

The key task in the extended investigation is to prove collusion between Kim and former President Yoon. Most of Kim’s alleged crimes stem from her improper use of her position as first lady. The indictment in the painting case applies bribery charges under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, naming Yoon as a co-conspirator. Since bribery charges apply only to public officials, Kim alone cannot be punished. The same holds true for the free polls provided by Myung, and suspicions of influence-peddling, as Kim had no appointment powers.

The special counsel team has therefore deemed Yoon’s testimony essential. But with Yoon strongly resisting, investigators have already failed twice to execute an arrest warrant, summoning him remains difficult. At a briefing on September 25, a team official said, “There are many aspects of the investigation where questioning the former president is necessary. Rather than summoning him piecemeal, it would be more appropriate to do so comprehensively at the right time.” It remains undecided whether investigators will attempt to question him at the detention center or again request an arrest warrant.

Numerous cases remain unresolved. The special counsel team has yet to question former Land Minister Won Hee-ryong and PPP lawmaker Kim Sun-kyo over the alleged rerouting of the Yangpyeong expressway and the Gongheung-district development project. Investigations into possible preferential treatment in the presidential residence relocation project and suspected falsified audits by the Board of Audit and Inspection have also not yet taken place.

The team must also sort out cases It Initiated on Its own. In the so-called “butler gate” case, Kim Ye-sung, Kim Keon-hee’s aide, has been indicted on charges of embezzlement under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes. But investigators have yet to establish a link to the former first lady. In its report to the National Assembly on September 23, the team stated that 15 major cases, including “butler gate,” remain incomplete.